The Next Worst Thing
by SavannahBanna
Summary: "Well, that's fine! I'd rather have Ron over you any day! ... "Say that now." - We find home and comfort in familiar things. When Hermione Granger is thrust out of her familiar and into the last place she wants to be, she begins to find herself seeking comfort from the most unexpected places. Dramione.
1. Importance

**A/N – So, this chapter is kind of short but it is just a bit of set up…I hope you like it anyway. Please continue. **

"Bloody hell!" Ron muttered as he, Hermione and Harry exited a History of Magic class that had been even more unbearable than the usual. Even Hermione had found herself gazing out the window at times, watching the white floating clouds making their solitary journeys through the sky. "I can't understand why they don't just get rid of him; I mean…Dumbledore must know that nobody pays attention"

Hermione raised her eyebrows, shifting her almost excruciatingly heavy bag of books to her left shoulder, releasing the tension in the right. "You wouldn't pay attention even with a new teacher Ronald" she pointed out, smiling at him almost fondly.

"I might!" Ron argued as exited the castle, finding their vision shattered by the bright sunlight. "If it was someone young and female"

"You do realize we are talking about paying attention to the actual class, not the ridiculous idea of the male fantasy." Harry grinned at Hermione's comment and the three of them took seats on one of the many benches dotted around the Entrance Courtyard. Their seats were in the perfect position to get a lot of sun and they immediately dropped their book bags, basking in the warmth.

As the trio sat in silence, Hermione gazed around the courtyard. It was filled with students enjoying a somewhat rare moment of perfection before the clouds rolled in tomorrow. With an exasperated sigh, she noticed Draco Malfoy sitting not far off surrounded by a gang of his Slytherin friends. As she watched, a girl with long dark hair that tumbled down her back in waves caught her eye. Smirking slightly, she turned and whispered something in Malfoy's ear. Within a moment, she had turned back, her smirk even more prominent.

"What are you staring at, Granger?" she called, her tone haughty and dignified. "Looking for hair grooming tips?" and then the entire group of Slytherins erupted into squeals of laughter, some of them even pointed.

Quickly, Hermione looked away, rolling her eyes at the evident immaturity. She saw both Ron and Harry glaring at the group, Ron looking as if he wanted to say something that if a teacher were to hear it he would probably end up in detention.

"Don't bother, Ron" Hermione told him, simply sighing and shaking her head. "They're only trying to make themselves seem more important"

After several minutes the bell rang, signalling that it was time for their next class to begin. Hermione had Arithmancy while Harry and Ron were off to their Divination class. The trio separated and Hermione made her way to her favourite class, thinking about Draco Malfoy and the Slytherins as she went.

Why did they have to be so self-important, so judgemental? All they really thought about was themselves and their house and all the horrific things that so many Pure-Blood wizards were brought up to believe in. On more than one occasion Hermione had been called 'Mudblood' by Draco or one of his cronies. It was a word that chilled her to the bone, although she was getting more used to hearing it nowadays.

It was perfect that they had been sorted into Slytherin house. Hermione knew that more than half of them aspired to be Death Eaters, many of them knew that Harry's claims that He Who Must Not Be Named was back were true. That house was just bad business, so evil and full of dark magic—it almost scared her.


	2. Minor Alterations

**A/N – I don't take credit for any of the characters in this piece…apart from Professor Singlia and aspects of her go to my friend Cazz. I just changed her name and some of her story. I hope you like her, or hate her…I'm not even sure if I like her.**

A week passed before they were back in History of Magic again. But strange rumours had been circulating the castle. The rumours were surrounding Professor Binns and his History of Magic class. Ron heard Pansy Parkinson whispering to Draco that she had seen a woman entering Binns' office and she certainly hadn't been a ghost. Pavarti Patil said that her sister Padma, who was in Ravenclaw, hadn't seen Professor Binns in her History of Magic lesson two days before. Instead a woman—the same woman Pansy had seen?—had taken the class.

"Padma said it was actually interesting!" Pavarti told them, eyes wide.

Even more news came on the morning before Harry, Ron and Hermione's next History of Magic lesson when Fred and George sat down beside them at lunch.

"Have you guys had History of Magic yet this week?" George asked, stealing a sandwich from the pile on Ron's plate and tossing it from hand to hand absent-mindedly.

Hermione shook her head, while Ron tried to grab the sandwich back unsuccessfully.

"Well, you boys are in for a treat you are" Fred chuckled, stealing the sandwich from George. "Not you Hermione, unless you swing in that direction"

"What are you talking about?" asked Harry, frowning at the twins. Fred and George grinned, looking at each other with a 'should we tell them?' kind of look.

"Let's just say, the new Professor is a much better view than Professor Binns, if you get my drift" Fred said, breaking the sandwich in half and handing George a piece. And with that, the two of them swung their legs over the bench they were sitting on and stood up.

"See you, folks" George called as they headed over to where Lee Jordan was sitting at the opposite end of the table.

"What are they on about?" Ron asked, turning to Ron and Hermione after staring at Fred and George's retreating backs. "What new professor?"

"It was all very cryptic" Hermione agreed, still watching the twins as they sat down with Lee and started talking animatedly, undoubtedly about this mysterious new professor. "But I suppose it hasn't something to do with what Pavarti was saying, about that woman"

"Looks like you got your wish, Ron" Harry teased, remembering Ron's comment about an attractive, young History of Magic teacher.

"But why on earth did they sack Professor Binns?" Hermione asked, taking a sip of pumpkin juice. "He's been here for ages, if they were going to let him go you would think they would have years ago, wouldn't you?"

"Don't question it Hermione!" Ron said, looking at her, astonished that she was still considering the subject.

"Yeah, maybe now we won't have to copy your notes" Harry added, grinning at his friends.

Hermione smiled—they were probably right, now she wouldn't have to fight to stay awake.

"Wow!" Ron stopped in the doorway of the History of Magic classroom, eyes fixed at a point ahead. Harry joined him, following his eyes. "Fred and George _weren't _exaggerating then" he said, freezing there as well.

"What are you two goggling at?" Hermione said, trying to see past them. They made way immediately and Hermione saw what was going on.

Standing beside the blackboard was a woman, obviously the woman that everybody had been talking about. Her hair was long, cascading down her back like a discoloured waterfall. It was red, just as natural looking as Ginny's and Ron's so she obviously hadn't coloured it herself. Her robes weren't traditional, instead they were purple with flowers around the hemline and cuffs and she was wearing black boots that looked like they had been purchased in a muggle store.

When she turned, her eyes were a piercing blue, almost too blue and they were large and almond shaped. She was wearing pink lipgloss and had earrings in the shape of diamonds hanging from her ears. All in all, she was a bizarre appearance but even Hermione could see why the male population were so fascinated by her, she was better looking than McGonagall, after all.

The new professor saw the class standing in the door way and her face broke into a smile. She ushered them in and three gold bracelets slid up and down her thin wrists.

"Welcome, welcome" she said, and though Hermione had expected her voice to be high-pitched, almost like Umbridge, her voice was a little deeper than average but husky and inviting. "Come in, fifth years. I'm Professor Singlia and I will be your new teacher for History of Magic"

The Gryffindors all moved slowly to their seats, sitting down as if stuck in slow motion. They were all looking at each other, nervously shifting their eyes around the room. It had been decorated in a rather peculiar way. The drapes weren't drawn across the windows as they so often used to be and their colour had been changed, they were now purple. Decorations such as magical moving flowers covered the walls and some rainbow coloured streamers were hanging from the ceiling.

"It looks like Loony Lovegood threw up over this place" Ron whispered, not wanting to break the silence by speaking at a regular volume.

The entire class sat in silence for several minutes. They looked at Professor Singlia and Professor Singlia looked at them. It was a long and awkward few seconds.

Finally, Lavender Brown slowly put her hand in the air.

"Yes, Miss…?" Professor Singlia prompted, smiling warmly at Lavender. Lavender blinked several times, dropped her hand and said, "Brown, Professor"

"Ah, well then…yes, Miss Brown?"

"W-what happened to Professor Binns?" Lavender asked, voicing the question that was on everybody's mind. Where was Professor Binns? They were all grateful for a change but it was confusing none the less.

Professor Singlia laughed, a gravelly laugh that sounded out of place coming from such a feminine face.

"It was…suggested that Professor Binns take a bit of a…shall we say…vacation" she told them, her eyes crinkling at the corners as she smiled.

Hermione raised her hand next.

"What kind of 'vacation'?" she asked, without waiting to be called upon. The scene was fairly reminiscent of the first Defense lesson of that year. "I mean, he's going to stay around the castle of course, the ghosts can't leave"

"These questions, if you strongly desire to know the answers, will have to be brought up with Professor Dumbledore" Professor Singlia told her, lightly. "For I simply teach and have not a word to say on the matter." She turned to the blackboard on which she had written her name and 'History of Magic'. "Now, questions about your former educator aside, let's get to some learning. I would like you all to tell me where Professor Binns left off"

40 minutes later the Gryffindors left the classroom feeling rather dazed. Professor Singlia had been amused when they had been unable to come up with an answer as to where Binns had left off and had begun to talk to them about Goblin Rebellions and everything that Professor Binns had always made seem incredibly dull. Professor Singlia turned it all into a story, making it seem more like a fairytale than something they were forced to be learning for exams.

"She's remarkable" Ron commented as they headed towards Gryffindor Tower.

Hermione looked at him, fighting back a laugh.

"Just because it's the first History of Magic lesson you've been able to stay awake through does not mean she is remarkable. However, she is rather good isn't she?"

The boys nodded eagerly and they continued chatting about the past lesson until Hermione turned unexpectedly after receiving a rather shocking tap on the shoulder from behind. The three of them turned at once to face the woman of the hour, Professor Singlia. She was smiling at Hermione in a rather frightening way, and there were obvious discussion points behind her clear blue eyes.

"Yes, Professor?" Hermione asked, looking up and down at Professor Singlia's rather interesting choice of attire. Now that they were out of the classroom and away from the Professor's satisfactory teaching, Hermione had to admit she wasn't very impressed with her dress choices. They were so irresponsible for a teacher, and why had Dumbledore employed someone so young?

"Hermione, I assume you are…Hermione Granger, I mean." Hermione also noted the Professor's informal way of speaking, calling students by their first names, really? However, she merely nodded.

"I would like a word with you, could you come back to my classroom, please?"

Incredibly curious as to what Professor Singlia could possibly want to say to her, Hermione began to follow her. Harry and Ron stared as she left but carried on their way after decided it might be better not to follow.

Professor Singlia trotted back along the corridor towards her classroom, never seeming to walk in a directly straight line. When she reached the door, she held it open for Hermione to walk through and then locked it behind her. Hermione didn't quite know what to do with herself, should she sit down?

"Take a seat, Hermione, please!" the Professor insisted, taking one herself.

Hermione took her seat, the same one she had sat in during class and stared at the Professor for a few moments. But it seemed Professor Singlia was waiting for her to speak first, so she did.

"What is it…Professor?" Hermione asked, sliding her book bag off her back and setting on the floor as quietly as possible.

"Well, Hermione…" Singlia began, leaning forward and resting her elbows on her desk. "I hear you are a very capable student, top in everything except…" she checked a piece of paper in the cluster on her desk. "Defense Against the Dark Arts. Okay, then…you are in Gryffindor house and good friends with Harry Potter"

"Is this just a background check, Professor?" Hermione asked, getting more confused by the minute as Singlia confirmed all her little facts about Hermione's school life.

"No, no" Singlia told her, laughing that grainy laugh once again. "No, I am merely evaluating the facts before I share my news"

"News?"

"Yes, Hermione, news!" Singlia said, her voice holding a hint of joy. "You, my girl, are one in a million. This has never happened before in the history of Hogwarts but…Dumbledore has made it my job to inform you that…you have been relocated to Slytherin house"

As soon as the words were out of Professor Singlia's mouth Hermione's whole world froze. Had she really just been told she had been moved into Slytherin? Hermione Granger, a Slytherin, it was laughable. She loathed them; she hated them and everything they stood for. And nobody had the power to relocate someone but the Sorting Hat and when had the Sorting Hat had time to re-evaluate her?

"Professor—you, you have to be joking!" Hermione said, realizing now that she had jumped to her feet and was feeling dizzy. "Tha-that's impossible! How?"

"Once again, my dear, your questions are best brought up with the Headmaster" Singlia sighed, dreamily. 'I was in Slytherin house, you know! But what with the Gryffindor, Slytherin rivalry I can see how you are a bit stunned. Now, the Headmaster has instructed me to make sure you are packed within the next fifteen minutes and you will move into the Slytherin dormitories tonight. I will meet you at the mouth of the stairs down to the dungeons in fifteen minutes, see you then"

Professor Singlia stood up, effectively ending their conversation. Hermione grabbed her bag, glaring at Professor Singlia. On any normal occasion Hermione would be polite to a teacher such as this, but after just being told this horrifying news she figured exceptions always come about. Singlia waved a hand to instruct Hermione to leave and Hermione stalked out, moving as fast as she could for Gryffindor tower.

"Firecracker" Hermione stated, blankly to the Fat Lady who clicked her tongue but swung open to let her through anyway.

As she stormed through the Common Room, ignoring Harry and Ron as they stood up, baffled and tried to get her to stop, Hermione knew that this would all end soon. Her eyes would stop blazing, her heart would stop pounding and her anger would subside. But she didn't want to get to that point. If she did she knew the tears would come. This was her being torn away from her friends and forced to get to know people that teased her, that irritated her and that she simply loathed. Draco Malfoy was going to have a field day. This wouldn't normally worry her but on normal occasion she had Harry and Ron with her, she was alone and vulnerable.

When she reached her Dormitory she found Pandora Gold, Pavarti Patil and Lavender Brown all sitting there. Lavender and Pavarti were engrossed in conversation while Pandora was flicking through Witch Weekly looking bored. The minute Hermione entered, all eyes dashed towards her.

"Goodness, Hermione…" Pavarti said, blinking in surprise at Hermione's livid form. "What happened?" But Hermione didn't answer, instead she went straight to her chest of drawers and started packing her trunk, trying to keep the anger inside her so she didn't break down in front of her ex-dorm-mates.

"Where are you going?" Lavender asked, kneeling on her bed and staring at Hermione, looking curious.

"It's none of your business" Hermione muttered, tossing the last of her belongings into the trunk and pushing it shut. "You'll find out soon enough I suppose" and she stood up, slamming the door behind her as she left.

The next time she entered the Common Room it was harder to dodge Harry and Ron. The minute they saw her trunk they rounded on her asking question after question.

"What's going on, Hermione?"

"Are you leaving?"

"What's with the trunk?"

"Leaving Hogwarts?"

"Did something happen with your parents?"

"You're actually leaving us?"

"Oh, Merlin's beard!" Hermione exclaimed, staggering and almost dropping her trunk on Ron's foot. The two of them looked at her, stunned into silence.

"Does this have something to do with what Professor Singlia was talking to you about?" Harry asked, frowning and looking from Hermione to the trunk.

"Yes" Hermione sighed, feeling the anger subside at last, as much as she fought to keep it within her. "It was a message from Dumbledore"

Ron and Harry looked at each other; they obviously hadn't been expecting to hear the Headmasters name. Hermione thought she saw something significant in Harry's eyes but it was gone within a moment.

"What did he say?" Harry asked, speaking slowly as if trying to figure it out in his head.

"Professor Dumbledore, for reasons he doesn't seem to feel I deserve to know, has decided to move me into Slytherin house" Hermione said, letting the bitterness seep into her tone as she bit her lip to keep the tears to herself.

The looks on her friend's faces made her truly treasure her two best friends. Ron looked furious; he looked as if he would gladly punch Professor Dumbledore if he had the chance while Harry just looked stunned, as if he almost couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"This is nuts" Ron exclaimed, sitting down on an armchair and glaring at the wall. "Dumbledore can't do that! Isn't there some rule or something somewhere that says he can't do this?" Hermione almost laughed.

"Dumbledore can do whatever he pleases I assume, within boundaries that Umbridge is beginning to set. I don't think there's anything we can do Ron, if there was I would be doing it"

Harry was still looking dazed and bewildered. His mouth tightened at Umbridge's name though.

"We'll miss you, 'Mione" he said, speaking slowly still. "Really…"

Feeling choked up, Hermione replied.

"I'll always be here"

It was all so corny and without even thinking Hermione flung her arms around Harry, fighting even harder to keep back to tears. When she pulled away, she noticed Ron was standing beside them again and she proceeded to wrap her arms around him too, breathing deeply.

"I have to go" she said after a few minutes of hugging and escaped as fast as she could. She was about to face the Slytherins—Draco, Pansy, Heidi Fernandez, Crabbe and Goyle and she would have to have a brave face on when she saw them instead of the tear soaked face she was developing now. Putting down her trunk, she whipped her eyes with the back of her hand and then carried on down towards the dungeons.


	3. Intergrating

**A/N – I really hope you like Scarlett and Amber-Rose. I created Scarlett and my bestie Allyse created Amber-Rose. I like them! Also, a little note about why Hermione's in Slytherin…I know it's weird but it will all be revealed later, I promise. **

"Hermione!" Professor Singlia's voice rang out the minute Hermione rounded the corner towards her. She was standing right where she had said, at the mouth of the dungeons staircase and beside her stood a most unwelcomed face—Draco Malfoy. He had apparently been engaged in conversation with Singlia only a moment before and his face contorted with he saw Hermione headed his way, towards his territory.

"What are you doing here, Granger?" he sneered, and then he noticed her trunk and a horrified look crossed his features. Hermione placed her trunk on the ground and folded her arms across her chest, glaring at Malfoy.

"Now, now I don't need you two fighting. Hermione is joining us in Slytherin house, Draco" at the look on his face she added "on Dumbledore's orders"

Hermione heard Malfoy mutter something about Dumbledore, a stunning spell and a large cliff.

"Mudblood's aren't supposed to belong in Slytherin" he added, in a louder voice still glaring at Hermione but throwing several daggers towards Professor Singlia too as if this was all her fault. "Slytherin was a believer in the purity of blood; the Sorting Hat said so in his song this year"

Singlia's eyes narrowed at his words and she slapped him on the shoulder.

"Wash your mouth out young man; I will not tolerate that kind of language in my presence. As for the purity of Slytherin house, we are prepared to make an exception. Also, may I remind you that Heidi Fernandez of whom I understand is the Queen of Slytherin is herself a muggle-born which supports my point that blood doesn't matter!"

Malfoy's face turned immediately sour as if he had been sucking a lemon and he turned and descended the staircase angrily. The affect was somewhat ruined when he tripped down three steps and he turned and glared at Hermione as if that too was her fault.

"Excuse Draco, he'll come around" Singlia said quickly, smiling a toothy smile at Hermione and beginning to climb down the staircase after Draco. Hermione assumed she was expected to follow and she did so, lugging her trunk behind her.

"Unforgivable" Professor Singlia stated in a loud, booming voice to the door and it swung open to admit them. Hermione tried to imagine herself saying such a password and shuddered.

The Slytherin Common Room was almost as she had imagined. Darker and more eerie than the warm, comfortable home she was used to. The armchairs were majestic and didn't look nearly as comfortable. The drapes were long, touching the floor and they were black which gave the room an uninviting look. Hermione couldn't see any games of chess or Exploding Snap going on, instead there were groups of Slytherin students huddled in corners and talking quietly to each other.

Sensing the new entrants, the Slytherins turned around. Hermione recognised several of them including Draco, Amber-Rose Height, Cordelia Gold, Scarlett Maddox and Arthur Diggory. To her pleasure, Crabbe, Goyle and Pansy were nowhere in sight.

"Welcome to your new home!" Professor Singlia announced happily, spinning around and landing in a spare armchair with a thump. Hermione shuffled her feet a little and waited for further instruction, trying to look somewhat pleased to be there. Everybody was still goggling at her and it made her feel somewhat uncomfortable.

Professor Singlia surveyed the onlookers, counting them with her index finger.

"Okay, Scarlett I would like you and Amber-Rose to take Hermione up to your dormitory. She will be living with you and Miss Parkinson from now on"

Scarlett and Amber-Rose looked at each other, raising their eyebrows in confusion but they stood up all the same.

"Come with us" Scarlett said quietly to Hermione as they passed and she turned to follow them, getting very tired of lugging this heavy trunk around.

They climbed a staircase, not speaking until they had reached the room labelled "5th Years" They walked inside and then Scarlett and Amber-Rose turned to face her.

"This is the room" Amber-Rose told her, gesturing around at it. It was just as dark as the Common Room but the hangings were of a lacy white, which gave it some purity. "Your bed is the one by the door. Scarlett and I are on the other side and Pansy is in the one closest to you. Scarlett sometimes talks in her sleep and Pansy snores"

"Thanks" Hermione muttered, dumping her drunk on the covers of her bed which were the Slytherin colours. Then she turned back to the girls and they all stared each other in silence. Scarlett's gray-blue eyes were bursting with questions, Hermione could tell but Amber-Rose looked almost bored.

"What happened?" Scarlett burst out at last, apologetically for she couldn't help herself. Hermione drew a breath and sank down onto her bed, eyeing the two of them. Scarlett Maddox with her long, curly blonde hair, dazzling smile and height that would loose her in a crowd of average sized people and Amber-Rose Height with her chocolate brown hair, intense eyes and frame that towered over Scarlett's. They didn't seem evil; in fact Hermione could have mistaken them for Ravenclaw's or Gryffindors.

"I don't…really know" she said, bitterly. "It was Dumbledore's idea, or so says Professor Singlia but –"

"She's weird, isn't she?" Scarlett exclaimed, grasping onto the subject. "So…intense, if you know what I mean?"

"She actually tried to sit me down for a 'cup of tea' this morning" Amber-Rose told them, scrunching up her nose in disgust. "But I told her I didn't like tea and escaped, it's like she's trying to make friends with us or force us to like her"

Hermione nodded along with all of this, smiling every so often as Amber-Rose and Scarlett launched into a whole conversation about Singlia. She began to wrack her brain for any memories of either of them doing any harm to any Gryffindors she knew and she couldn't seem to remember anything. In fact, the only memory that came to her was that Scarlett's brother, who had committed suicide in their second year, had been in Gryffindor. That ought to explain a lot.

In the comfort of the dormitory with two girls engrossed in conversations that weren't foreign to Hermione, it was easy to forget that she wasn't where she really belonged. Every once and a while she would have a fleeting thought of Harry or Ron but she tried to push it out of her mind for the moment. She would undoubtedly see them later, they weren't on different planets.

"Ew! So it is true!" said a high pitched, nasally voice from the doorway. "Mudblood, Granger come to join our house!" The three girls turned to see Pansy Parkinson surveying them with her squinty brown eyes. By the looks on Scarlett and Amber-Rose's faces it seemed they liked Pansy about as much as Hermione did.

"We're very sorry Hermione" Scarlett said, frostily, although the frost was obviously intended for Pansy. "Sorry that you have to share a dormitory with Pug-Faced Parkinson that is, at first we thought the look might be contagious but after five years we figure we're safe." Amber-Rose smirked and Pansy looked outraged.

"I think I'm going to ask to change rooms! Wouldn't want to catch anything from a Mudblood!" she huffed, turning on her heel and stalking out the door.

"Don't think you have to do us any favours!" Amber-Rose called and then she settled back onto her bed. "Fuck, I hate her!"

An hour later the three girls were heading down to the Great Hall for dinner, Scarlett talking their ears off about the upcoming Quidditch match against Ravenclaw. Hermione had fallen silent when the topic arose, unsure how she felt about being expected to support Slytherin this time. Ron and Harry would probably hate her.

They took their seats and Hermione, realizing how hungry she suddenly was began to load her plate feeling a lot like Ron. The moment she thought of him, her eyes started to scan the Great Hall. She found him sitting with Harry at the end of Gryffindor table. They seemed to be talking in low voices and kept looking over towards the Slytherins. Harry caught Hermione's eye and smiled, managing an awkward wave.

"Hello Rose!"

"Draco" Amber-Rose greeted as Malfoy sat down across from the group. Hermione's eye's widened. She hadn't known that Amber-Rose and Malfoy were friends, if she had…

"What in the name of Merlin are you doing hanging out with our new Mudblood scum?" he asked, glaring coldly at Hermione who simply glared back and continued eating her corned beef.

"What are you doing hanging out with Crabbe and Goyle?" Amber-Rose fired back and Malfoy seemed to know it was time to drop it. Scarlett smiled a half smile at Hermione, it was probably meant to seem comforting but it just looked like she didn't know what to do. Of course she didn't, she was obviously on speaking terms with Malfoy too.

"Draco!" called Pansy Parkinson from the other end of the table. Her tone was impatient and she was glaring at Hermione again. "What are you doing? Come sit with us" she was surrounded by Malfoy's cronies—Crabbe, Goyle and Blaise Zabini.

"Sorry girls, duty calls" Malfoy announced, standing up with an air of pride and striding to the other end of the table to sit with his 'friends'.

"You're friends with Malfoy?" Hermione asked, turning to Amber-Rose immediately and trying to hide her distaste but somewhat unsuccessfully.

"I have been for years" Amber-Rose replied, airily. "Our fathers were friends, still are except that it's impossible for them to keep in contact now what with my father in a cell in Azkaban. But Draco's alright, just a bit judgemental and that's just how he was brought up. His parents taught him that blood is everything which naturally isn't exactly true. But you were brought up to believe that wizardry didn't exist and that wasn't true either"

"Point" Scarlett muttered, finishing off the last of her buttered roll and joining the conversation.

Hermione couldn't find the words to argue. Amber-Rose brought up some valid points but it didn't stop Hermione loathing Malfoy—nothing ever could.

"Just don't expect him and me to become best friends or anything" Hermione shuddered. Amber-Rose and Scarlett just laughed and promptly turn and become engrossed in conversation with their friend Cordelia Gold.

Left to her thoughts, Hermione began eating the pile of food on her plate, watching Ron and Harry across the hall talking to Fred and George. While she had managed to feel less awkward in conversation with her two Slytherin roommates, the table still felt foreign to her. There wasn't anybody she could just turn to talk to if something happened to her. In moments like these she felt completely alone, not to mention she had to share a dormitory with Pansy Parkinson.

"How's it going?" Hermione jumped at the sound, spilling the contents of her booking over her bed. She was packing it for the day, delaying going to breakfast with her new housemates for as long as possible, the girls in her dorm had already left a few minutes earlier.

Even before she turned she knew who the voice belonged to—Professor Singlia. Turning wearily, Hermione looked her in the eye and shrugged, which felt a very informal gesture for Hermione. It was just that she blamed Singlia somewhat for what had happened to her. Since Hermione hadn't discussed the matter with Dumbledore it was hard to blame him.

"I'm looking for more than a shrug, missy" Singlia said, making her way into the room and sitting down on Pansy's bed. "Have you made any friends? Adjusting well? I need details to report to the Headmaster."

Hermione remembered Harry saying that Dumbledore wasn't looking him in the eye this year. Was the Headmaster just not communicating with his students in general? Hermione remembered dismissing Harry's comment in her mind, but now it made some sense.

"Why doesn't Professor Dumbledore just talk to me himself if he wants to know how I'm doing?" Hermione asked, irritably. It didn't feel like being disrespectful to a teacher, Professor Singlia felt more like a frustrating student.

"Hermione, I'm sure you of all people know that our Headmaster has much more important things to be getting along with" Singlia rolled her eyes as if this was obvious. "He doesn't have time for matters such as this, so trivial. He can delegate the tasks that fall short of importance to others"

Previously Hermione had been leaning over her bed, pushing all her books and quills back in her bag but when Professor Singlia started speaking she drew herself up to her full height, indignant.

"Professor Dumbledore doesn't think that moving a student into another house for the first time is important? He doesn't even have the decency to discuss the change with that student? If it's not important then why move me? I don't understand. The Sorting Hat sorted me, it's not up to Dumbledore to decide I've changed, I haven't. I'm the same Hermione I was when I was eleven!"

Throughout Hermione's speech, Professor Singlia listened patiently, smiling a sickeningly serene smile. The moment Hermione finished however, she took on a more serious look.

"I didn't say it wasn't important-"she began.

"Yes, you did!" Hermione insisted, sinking to her bed in frustration. In the back of her mind she couldn't believe she was acting this way, so selfish and moody but this was all just so unfair.

"All I meant was, from what Professor Dumbledore tells me, its importance will be discovered over time. Be patient, Hermione. But I can tell by your outburst that you are really not happy here, am I correct?"

Hermione hung her head.

"If there was a way I could change the Headmasters mind I would" Singlia said, the sickening smile returning. "But I can't and we're all just going to have to live with what we've been given. Now, I must be going…enjoy your day" she finished briskly and left the room, colourful robes flying behind her.


	4. Mudblood

**A/N – Don't you just love how Scarlett is in this chapter? I'm sorry it's kind of short and nothing really happens that much but there is some good stuff coming. **

As she trailed behind Amber-Rose and Scarlett, Hermione realized she had never been so excited for Care of Magical Creatures in her life. She had just suffered through an hour of Defense Against the Dark Arts with Professor Umbridge who seemed greatly pleased that Hermione was without her best friends. But now she was going to get to see them, at last.

"Hermione!" Ron exclaimed, seeming genuinely pleased to see her as she walked towards them, grinning broadly. "I forgot you would be in this class." Harry and Ron were standing underneath a tree not too far from where Malfoy was standing. Hermione sighed, mind flashing to his constant mutterings of 'Mudblood' whenever he saw her in the Common Room or at the Slytherin table.

"It's a shame Hagrid isn't back" Ron continued, leaning back against the tree once more and watching Professor Grubbly-Plank critically. "This would be the best class ever"

"I'm glad you missed me" Hermione told him, sincerely. "The Slytherins are…well, I have to share a Dormitory with Pansy so I suppose that gives you enough of an insight" she shivered involuntarily. As it turned out, Amber-Rose's comment about Pansy snoring was true and Hermione had not gotten a decent night sleep.

Ron and Harry screwed up their noses and laughed.

"Poor Hermione" Harry said, sympathetically.

"Maybe you could strange her in her sleep for us?" Ron suggested, hopefully.

The class passed in a pretty normal fashion. Once the trio forgot the fact that Hermione had moved houses it all just fell into place. They talked once more about where Hagrid might be and Hermione made a quick note that Professor Dumbledore had indeed been distant, not just from Harry but from all his students—however, she didn't feel she should elaborate.

Disappointment flooded Hermione's heart the minute the class ended and Scarlett stood over by a tree quite far from Hagrid's cabin, waving to get Hermione's attention. Harry and Ron exchanged a look.

"That's Scarlett Maddox, isn't it?" Harry inquired, raising an eyebrow at Hermione. She nodded.

"She lives not too far from me" Ron pitched in, shrugging. "I've known her since we were kids. She's alright…bit quiet sometimes though"

"Not since I've known her" Hermione smiled, laughing a little. Scarlett was still waving frantically, thinking Hermione hadn't noticed her yet.

"HERMIONE!" she called, voice carrying the distance between them. "ARE YOU COMING?" Hermione couldn't help but smile at Scarlett's enthusiasm…and the noise she was making, 'causing several people walking away from Hagrid's hut to stare at her.

Pausing in her tracks Hermione nodded at Scarlett, who immediately took a breath and stopped flinging her arms around. Then Hermione turned to Harry and Ron, looking apologetic.

"It's fine" Harry said, while Ron fell unusually silent. "We know you can't eat lunch with us…better you hang out with Scarlett Maddox than Crabbe." Ron nodded stiffly and forced a smile onto his face. Hermione could see it was forced, and although it should make her feel sad it actually lightened Hermione's sprit a little.

"HERMIONE!" Scarlett yelled again, waving only one hand now. "I'M HUNGRY AND AMBER-ROSE ALREADY LEFT!"

Scarlett's comment, although screamed towards them, lifted the tension a little and they all laughed.

"I suppose you're right, at least she can carry on a conversation" Hermione smiled, nodding at Scarlett a second time. "Okay, I'll see you later" and she quickly hugged them both before running off to join her new friend.

"Finally!" Scarlett exclaimed, exasperated. "I was suffering from starvation and all you wanted to do was talk to your friends for hours on end. I'm planning to throw a rock at Amber-Rose for ditching me, no consideration for others whatsoever"

"I'm sorry for keeping you" said Hermione, rolling her eyes. "But they are my best friends and I was snatched away from them against my will"

"I know, I know" Scarlett waved her hand, a smaller movement than before. "I'm sorry. Maybe I'm still sore on the time Ron hit me in the head with his broom when we were five" she grinned, her eyes crinkling a little. "You know…its so weird talking to a Gryffindor. I don't know why, it just feels different. Like, we're getting to see the inner-workings of something. And I'm talking to a Gryffindor whose friends with Harry Potter—the Chosen One or whatever they're calling him now. You were with him when he got through all those challenges to get the Philosophers Stone, that's pretty amazing. And…"

That was the way it was all the way to the Great Hall. Scarlett would latch onto a new topic every few minutes and held a very successful one-sided conversation—only one sided because she didn't give Hermione a chance to speak. Scarlett shared some childhood stories of Ron, went over some of Harry's adventures and even went into a tangent on Sirius Black and whether he was actually guilty or not.

"I mean, I read the Quibbler and I know he's not that Stubby guy they say he is but what if it wasn't him!" her eyes grew wide as they entered the Hall and they shrunk back to normal size the minute she spotted Amber-Rose. She began running towards the table and grabbed a ham sandwich before she had even taken her seat.

"We were just talking about Sirius Black, Rose" Scarlett filled her in, while Hermione simply smiled and shrugged. "You know that Quibbler story and whether he's actually guilty or whatever!"

Amber-Rose nodded, rolling her eyes toward Hermione. "Lately Scarlett's been fascinated with who's guilty and who's not. I don't know, sometimes I wonder if it has something to do with her distracting herself after Cedric's death"

"Oh, right…" Hermione said, realization dawning on her. "You guys were friends with Cedric….Cordelia Gold as well"

Scarlett nodded, looking down at her plate and filling it quietly. "Cordy more than us, but I was pretty close to him. I think it's Cordelia who's doing the distracting though, she hasn't talked to us as much since we got back to school…she hasn't talked to anyone as much"

"Happier topics, happier topics" Amber-Rose ordered.

So they began discussing Professor Umbridge and Professor Singlia, great dislike evident in both conversations. Then they proceeded to talk about all the houses and the people in them in turn and by the end of that conversation lunch was over.

"'Mione" came Ron's familiar voice from behind her in the corridor. She turned, a welcoming smile on her face. Previously she had been heading back to the Slytherin Common Room but the prospect of spending time with Ron was much more inviting.

"Where's Harry?" she asked, though she didn't mind him not being there. It would be nice to have a conversation with Ron alone for a change. Not that spending time with Harry wasn't nice but on the odd occasion when Hermione would admit her true feelings to herself, she thought it might be nice to spend some alone time with the one she was actually interested in.

"Detention with Umbridge" Ron answered, sighing. "Another one from that first class. He's going to miss Quidditch trials and everything!" That thought seemed to bother Ron quite a bit though Hermione couldn't figure out why.

"So…how is Slytherin, really?" he asked, voice turning serious as they began to walk side by side. "I'm…happy that you're making friends." He didn't sound too happy but Hermione didn't want to damage the moment by pointing that out.

"I wouldn't call it making friends, but they're okay" she told him, hoping that would make it better. He did perk up a little. "It's okay though, I mostly keep to myself. I suppose I'll just have to get used to Mudblood being my permanent nickname"

In the instant it took for Ron's ears to turn red and his jaw to set, Hermione knew she had said the wrong thing. She could see him beginning to scan the halls, looking for who he knew would be the main culprit. As though Ron had obtained all the luck in the world, there he was.

Draco Malfoy, sauntering down the halls with Pansy Parkinson at his side and Crabbe and Goyle bringing up the rear. Their robes were billowing out behind them and they looked as though they were trying to become the next Madam Malkins robe models.

As if there was radar set inside his mind, Malfoy honed in on Ron's intense glare and his face broke out into a smirk. Pausing for only a fraction of a second, he began to make his way towards them with his friends at his heels. Hermione wasn't stupid, she could tell this was going to end badly and she immediately began talking frantically to Ron.

"Whatever it is you're thinking of doing…don't!" she insisted, her face flushed. "He's not worth it, in fact he's been almost better since I joined the house. You don't have to…defend me or anything, I'm fine. I told you…the rest was just a throwaway, a joke. I didn't mean for you to take it so seriously"

"Hermione…" Ron said, narrowing his eyes at her. "Stay out of it"

Worry and irritation bubbled up inside her and she stamped her foot, feeling a little silly, to relieve the tension.

"Well, if it isn't Weasley and Granger" Malfoy drawled, coming to halt in front of them and eyeing them—a small glint in his eye. "What are you so wound up about Weasley? Nervous about the Quidditch trials?" Ron flushed a deeper shade of scarlet and Malfoy seized onto his attack. "Yes, Weasley—I did see you flying last night. Not very good, are you? No wonder you thought you needed all the extra practice"

Feeling confused as to what Malfoy was talking about, Hermione jumped to Ron's defense.

"You leave him alone!" she hissed. "Even if Ron was terrible...which I'm sure he's not, the Gryffindor team would beat you any day. You can't deny that, seeing as you haven't won a match since Harry joined the team"

Malfoy glared at her. "Stay out of this, Mudblood" he snapped and Pansy laughed her ear-splitting laugh.

Everything happened so fast. Within seconds Ron's wand was in his hands and Malfoy was on the floor, knocked backwards by Ron's spell. Hermione immediately began pleading with Ron not to do anything and somewhere in the midst of the Slytherins jeering, Malfoy shouting and Hermione's pleas, Malfoy's face became rather disfigured. Growths, oozing puss had erupted all over it and Ron was looking on, seemingly satisfied.

"'easly udo dis 'ow!" was all that Malfoy could manage through the puss filling his mouth. It was a grotesque sight and Hermione looked down, biting her lip. To be honest, she was somewhat impressed with Ron's magic but she knew that nothing good was going to come of it.

"MR. WEASLEY!" gruff and distinguished—Professor Singlia's voice broke the shouts.


	5. Torment

**A/N – I'm sorry my chapters are getting so short! I wish they were longer but I'm writing them so quick. I've been writing for less than a week and I'm actually already on chapter seven. I hope you guys find this amusing. **

"MR. WEASLEY!" Professor Singlia repeated, taking a deep breath and puffing out her chest a little. "You are extraordinarily fortunate that I have found you instead of Professor Umbridge!" Ron flushed once again, looking down at the floor. Singlia was right, if Ron had been caught then he would have been joining Harry in detention and though Ron and Hermione didn't know exactly what was going on in detention they knew it would not be good.

"Mr. Malfoy, stand up and got a hold of yourself" Singlia snapped. It was scary seeing her fiery instead of serene. Malfoy clambered to his feet, fists balled. If you were able to see his eyes they would undoubtedly be angry slits. As it was you could tell how furious he was.

"Now, Mr. Weasley, Mr. Malfoy and…" she scanned the crowd and then smiled. "Miss Granger—you will all come with me"

The whole crowd had fallen silent and the three that were called on began to follow the Professor at once, Malfoy spitting inaudible insults and swear words at Ron's back. They walked up a staircase and down a corridor before reaching Professor Singlia's classroom. After they arrived and filed in, she closed the door behind them, smiling, serene again.

"Now, as I understand…magic is not permitted in the corridors. Am I right?" They all nodded. She nodded, picked up her wand and transformed Malfoy's face back to it's original form. "There you are, Draco"

Now she had dropped the formal act, it was quite a transition. The minute Draco's face was back the way he liked it he rounded on Ron.

"You wait, just you wait!" he spat, glaring and looking livid. "My father will hear about this and….you just wait, Weasley!" Hermione looked at her knees, hating this. She wished Ron had listened to her, she wished he would think before acting…why did nobody ever listen to her?

"Draco, there is no need for threats in here. We are here to make peace" Singlia announced, standing up and rummaging in her desk drawers. From their depths she pulled out three blank pieces of parchment and three quills. She thrust them towards the students, smiling brightly. Malfoy screwed up his nose, staring at the stationary.

"Take them" Singlia commanded, taking her seat once again.

Reaching out, Hermione pulled her parchment towards her and picked up the quill. What crazy idea was Singlia throwing at them now?

"Well then…from what I've been told, you three have some issues that have hardly been discussed because they have not proved dangerous. But I feel that making peace now is the best solution before hatred gets too far. I want each of you to write something nice about the other two, something constructive"

"What?" Ron and Malfoy exclaimed at the same time. "Something nice about him?" Ron finished, glaring at Malfoy as if it was his fault they had ended up here.

"Yes" Singlia confirmed. "Fire away!" and she settled back in her seat, puling a book towards her and opening it.

Chewing her lip, Hermione bent over her parchment and began to scribble instantly. It was easy to write good things about Ron, so she got that out of the way first.

_Ron, although it's sometimes not a good idea, will always defend the people he cares about._

Satisfied with her answer, she sat back and wracked her brain for something to say about Malfoy. It was a struggle, especially due to their history. He wasn't loyal, he wasn't nice, he wasn't funny…

_Malfoy…_she began before scribbling that out and writing _Draco _instead.

_Draco sticks to what he believes in._

That was the best she could do, she pushed her paper away and watched the other two as they glaring at their parchment obviously struggling for a way to write an insult as a compliment. Once ten minutes were up, Singlia sat up in her seat and clapped her hands, silver nails glistening in the light from the light hanging above her.

"I trust you have all found something to write by now" she said, looking directly at the two boys. "Now, I want each of you in turn to read what you wrote. I'm sure we're all interested to hear them"

"No!" Malfoy snapped, shaking his head and folding his arms over his chest.

"Yes" Singlia told him, laughing. "I am the teacher here Draco"

Hastily both Ron and Malfoy pulled their parchments towards them and began to write furiously, scribbling out some lines and altering others. Hermione watched them and looked at her own paper, she hadn't written anything rude so she was probably safe.

"Now that we have made the necessary adjustments" said Singlia, amused. "Hermione can go first"

Quietly Hermione quickly read the words on her page. Ron's face lightened when she read her comment on him and when she came to Malfoy's he just rolled his eyes and smirked. What was he planning?

"Ron?" Singlia requested, waving a hand at him. He began to stand, and then realized he could stay seated and sat back down again looking nervous. He looked at Hermione first, smiling slightly.

"Hermione is really, really smart—smarter than me and Malfoy put together" he threw a look in Malfoy's direction and then looked at Singlia as if to check if that was okay. She nodded and he continued. "And Malfoy…isn't as stupid as he looks." The minute he said it, Singlia's eyebrow shot up and she frowned.

"That was the best you could come up with?" she inquired while Malfoy resumed his glaring. Ron simply nodded, crumpling up his paper.

"My turn!" Malfoy announced, tossing aside his parchment and fixing his eyes on Ron. "Weasley is the best person the Gryffindor Quidditch team could possibly get."

"Why is that?" Professor Singlia asked him, crossing one leg over the other.

"Because it's likely he'll keep missing the Quaffle and the other team would win" Malfoy said, shrugging.

Professor Singlia frowned but didn't say anything, Ron's ears turned red.

"And…Hermione…" he paused, making a show of saying her real name. Both Ron and Hermione's eyes narrowed—Ron's in anger, Hermione's in confusion. "Is the prettiest girl in Gryffindor…if not the entire school!" he said, triumphantly.

The room fell silent, Hermione stared at him. That can't have been what he had written. Then it dawned on her, a little slower that it should have—he was playing with Ron. It was working too, for Ron had gotten to his feet and had his wand in his hand once more. Sensing the danger, Professor Singlia reached forward and snatched it out of Ron's hand.

"Hermione, Draco…go back to your Common Room, I want a word with Mr. Weasley alone" she said, her tone turning frosty once again. Draco smirked, happy with how things had worked out.

"Come on, Hermione" he said, moving towards the door. "Let's go back to _our _Common Room" he threw one last look at Ron and strode out the door, Hermione following.

The minute they were outside, Hermione rounded on Malfoy in fury.

"What in the world was all of that about?" she shouted, causing the students wandering the corridors to stare. "Provoking Ron…that is not fair! I have no idea how Scarlett and Amber-Rose could be friends with someone like you, I honestly don't." Malfoy stared at her, looking around quickly.

"Keep it down, will you Granger?" he snapped, tidying up his tie a little and glaring at her. "People are staring"

Hermione's eyes grew wide in frustration. "Oh!" she exclaimed, triumphantly. "So, you don't want your precious little friends hearing you get screamed at by a Mudblood, am I right? And we're back to Granger again…honestly, Malfoy—you are so immature"

And with that she turned on her heel and stalked away.


	6. Say That Now'

**A/N – I hope you like it and…again…love back story and Scarlett and Amber-Rose!**

The next several days passed in somewhat of a blur. Ron seemed to have distanced himself a little from Hermione so Harry relayed the news that Ron had made the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Scarlett and Amber-Rose tried to excuse Malfoy's behaviour but they had to admit that he had acted with immaturity and Hermione was grateful to them. She was beginning to get used to being in Slytherin. She stayed out of Pansy and Draco's way and everything just seemed normal.

Most of her evenings used to be spent in the library or in the Common Room with Harry and Ron. These days she found herself in the Slytherin Common Room, talking to Scarlett and Amber-Rose—once or twice even Arthur Diggory and Cordelia Gold. It felt like she was making friends, even being accepted into a group.

A day came when the Slytherins were sitting in Defense Against the Dark Arts, completely silent. Hermione knew that many of the Slytherins didn't like Umbridge, aside from Malfoy and some of her other personal favourites. Scarlett was sending notes flying around the room under the desks and up to this point Umbridge hadn't noticed.

_Did anybody buy one of the Weasley's Skiving Snack Boxes? If not, pass it on._

The note reached Hermione and she frowned, looking up at Scarlett and shaking her head. Scarlett rolled her eyes and signalled for Hermione to simply pass it along. She had obviously figured out that Hermione wasn't the type to buy Fred and George's products.

Sighing, Hermione passed the note forward to Carlie Rosien and began to scribble her own note.

_Scarlett, it might be a good idea to write in code in future. _

Fishing her wand out of her bag she sent the note flying towards Scarlett, who rolled her eyes when she opened it under the desk. Then Hermione went back to staring out the window, as she had already finished the book—something that had greatly displeased Umbridge.

"Professor Umbridge!"

The entire class turned to the voice to see Draco Malfoy sitting up in his chair, raising his hand in the air. There was something clasped in his fist and he was smirking. Hermione's eyes flew to Scarlett who was looking at the desk top, flushing intensely.

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy" Umbridge stood up from her desk and clasped her hands in front of her, watching Malfoy. "Would you like some help?"

For a moment Malfoy looked indignant. However, he got over it pretty quickly and grinned again. "No, Professor. It's just that there is something I believe you need to know. Hermione Granger has been sending this note around the room" he stood up, walked towards Umbridge and handed Scarlett's note to her.

Hermione's face contorted and she felt a sudden urge to punch Malfoy much like she had in her third year. He was setting her up! He was still trying to annoy her! Why did he not just let it go and ignore her like she was with him?

Umbridge's face twisted into a smile as she read through the note. "Skiving Snack Boxes?" she asked, laughing a tiny laugh. "So, you are not enjoying my class Miss Granger?" her voice went up, turning her statement into a question. She sounded extraordinarily elated, as if she had been waiting for this chance for her whole life.

"That note wasn't mine!" Hermione exclaimed, anger bubbling over. She stood up and glared at Malfoy who simply cocked his head and smirked at her. "I don't know wrote it but I just passed it on!" She had to lie, she didn't really want to get Scarlett into trouble either. "Malfoy is lying" she finished, folding her arms.

"Regardless of the situation, whether you passed it on or wrote it yourself, you are still guilty" Umbridge said simply, tossing the note onto her desk and placing her hands on her hips. "Detention, my office, tomorrow night"

"Dolores?" came Professor Singlia's voice from the door. She stood there, leaning casually against the doorframe. Her hair was pinned out of her face today, tied in a messy bun on top of her head. "I think I may be able to help this situation"

"You?" Umbridge asked, coughing quietly. "How do you expect to help Shaylene?" It didn't seem as if Umbridge approved of Singlia very much.

"I would like Hermione and Draco to follow me; I wish to speak with them. Oh, don't worry…" she added, seeing Umbridge's eyes narrow. "You can still have Hermione for her detention tomorrow, I can't object to that"

"Fine" Professor Umbridge snapped, not best pleased. "Take them; Miss Granger hasn't got anything to do anyhow"

Her jaw set, Hermione followed Singlia out the door, Malfoy walking behind. Why was it that every single time something happened to her Singlia got involved? Had Dumbledore put her on a permanent Hermione watch? Why could he not have put a more likeable teacher on duty to keep an eye on her? And these days it always seemed she was stuck with Malfoy.

Singlia led them, not to her classroom, but to her office instead. She ushered them inside, closing the door behind them.

"I trust you are wondering why you are here" she said, seating herself behind her desk and looking at them. Malfoy and Hermione looked at each other, then around the room without speaking.

Much like her classroom, it was completely surprising. The windows had no drapes whatsoever. Instead there were twinkling charms hanging down where drapes should be, clinking against each other with each gust of wind. The walls were rainbow coloured, making Hermione feel sick. The floor was carpeted, really soft carpet that your feet sunk into and there were pictures covering the walls. Looking closer, Hermione noted that they seemed to be pictures of Singlia. Not Singlia now but Singlia when she was in Hogwarts, in her childhood.

"You knew my father" Malfoy said, looking at the pictures also.

Professor Singlia smiled, nodding her head. "Only through your mother really, as she was in school when I was. We don't keep in contact much now, however…I think your family was a little disgusted at some of my other…relationships" she smiled, shrugging her shoulders.

"You knew Sirius Black!" Hermione exclaimed, staring at a picture close to Singlia's desk. It depicted Singlia and Sirius. Sirius had his arm around her and they were smiling stupidly. They looked about seventeen years old.

"That is true" Singlia's smile faded a little. "Before his name was tainted and he showed his true colours that is. We dated for awhile when we were in school. He got a lot of grief for having a relationship with a Slytherin and it didn't end too well. He ditched me for Marlene McKinnon…he was quite the heartbreaker, Sirius was"

"Why are we here?" Malfoy snapped, turning away from the pictures and staring at Singlia. "Are we in trouble? I didn't do anything, it was Granger"

"Well, actually the topic of Sirius is quite relevant to why you are here" she smiled, staring at the picture again. "I have been watching you two and I believe I have figured it out. You two, Hermione and Draco, are Sirius and I"

"What?" both of them jumped back at spoke at once.

"Yes" Singlia shrugged, brushing a stray hair from her eye and watching something fly in through the window. "Sirius and I hated each other for years…just like you two. It's actually a common thing to see. People who hate each other often harbour deeper feelings. It seems to me that the same applies to you" she pointed at them each in turn. "Hermione, I trust you have heard that boys tease and taunt when they like you-"

"But that's not even true! And if it was, it's stupid. You can't win a girls heart by being mean" Hermione insisted, looking towards the door. Had Singlia honestly trapped them in here to talk about their non-existent relationship? She was really peculiar and irritating.

"Hermione…" Singlia began, understandingly. "I am merely giving you an outsider's opinion and trying to get you two to make peace"

"What is with you and peace anyway?" Malfoy snapped, looking just as miffed as Hermione. "You're always trying to get us all to make peace with each other. It's never going to happen, especially not with The Dark Lord…and it's just the way it is"

"If you must know, my mission has been set by the Headmaster himself. However, I can't say much more"

"Of course you can't" Hermione muttered, looking down at her hands to hide her moving lips.

"Well, Hermione…really it's either Draco or Ron Weasley" Singlia told her, raising her thin eyebrows and reclining in her seat. Hermione's eyes grew wide. Did Singlia think that would change her mind? Why was she trying to change her mind?

"Okay, I'm not interested in Granger. I could never…I wouldn't…" Malfoy was beginning to splutter, his sentences becoming disjointed. Then, shaking his head as if to clear it, he turned and began to stalk out of the room. His robes flew behind him and he was just placing his hand on the doorknob when Hermione spoke.

"Well, that's fine!" she snapped, causing him to pause in his tracks. "I'd rather have Ron than you any day!"

Her words hung in the air and Malfoy turned his head, staring at her. It seemed like Singlia was holding her breath. Then within seconds Malfoy had turned back around and was moving towards her, looking irritated.

Then a surprising thing happened. Hermione found her vision blocked by Malfoy and suddenly his lips were on hers and everything stopped, changing in a moment. It took her several seconds to come back from the shock and attempt to shake him off.

Before she had a chance to speak he turned and headed towards the door again. When he reached it he turned one last time, looking pleased with himself.

"Say that now" he said, before sweeping out the door.

Hermione had left Singlia's office without another look in her direction. This was just another thing to add to the list of reasons she hated her. It was all her fault; she had made Hermione say what she'd said. It was obvious that was why Malfoy had kissed her, there was no other reason.

Down to her Common Room she went, uttering the password and walking up to her dormitory trying to act normal. It was hard not to give away her anger, but this time she didn't want to have to explain it.

"Hermione, hey!" Scarlett greeted when she walked in. Amber-Rose and Scarlett were sitting on Amber's bed and had been deep in conversation before Hermione had entered. "What did Singlia want?"

"She just…waned to talk to me about what happened with Ron and Malfoy last week" Hermione said, shrugging and lying as smoothly as possible. Then she flopped down on her bed and began to read Hogwarts: A History to try and clear her mind.


	7. Rumour Has It

In the months that followed Hermione's unfortunate experience and she began to associate with Harry and Ron again as best she could. She felt somehow as if she had betrayed them and kept very quiet about everything Malfoy related.

The three of them, after discussing Umbridge one day, decided to form what they ended up calling Dumbledore's Army. It was a group that worked on the Dark Arts in secret, working behind Umbridge, the schools High Inquisitors, back. It was a very daring move and they had a surprising number of members, Hermione being the only Slytherin.

Scarlett and Amber-Rose were beginning to become suspicious as Hermione started coming to bed surprisingly late on meeting nights. They didn't voice their questions until one night when Hermione got back red faced and clutching a stitch in her side.

"Where have you been going?" Amber-Rose asked, switching on a side lamp and whispering in order not to wake Pansy whose snores had been keeping her awake. "I never expected you to be the type to break curfew"

Hermione flushed deeper and crawled into bed, knowing the gig was up. Amber-Rose and Scarlett were her friends and she didn't want to lie to them but it just didn't feel right telling them. It was an unspoken rule but the idea had been to keep it from the Slytherins. Of course, Hermione wasn't included in that because everybody in the group still viewed her as a Gryffindor.

"I just…" she began, trying to find the words. Scarlett gave her a 'get on with it' look so she took a deep breath and continued.

She told them all about the D.A, where they met and what they did. She told them who was in it and why they had created it. Then she told them why they had chosen Harry as teacher and discussed all his past abilities. Scarlett and Amber-Rose listened all the while, nodding in some places and raising their eyebrows in others. They laughed when Hermione explained the name.

"So…you are risking expulsion to learn Defense Against the Dark Arts?" Amber-Rose asked, smiling a half smile. Hermione nodded.

"I like it" Scarlett said, thoughtful. "It's like a 'fuck you Umbridge' kind of thing"

Hermione smiled, of course they liked it. They didn't like Umbridge either, in fact most of the Slytherins didn't.

"Can we join?"

Scarlett's question astonished Hermione and she stared at the two of them, thunderstruck. "You two want to join a group of Ravenclaw's, Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors to learn Defense Against the Dark Arts from Harry Potter?"

"And pass my O.W.L" Scarlett added, sighing. "I think I'm going to fail, I just can't get it without the actually spell doing"

"It might be alright…" Amber-Rose put in, shrugging and lying back on her bed, staring at the ceiling.

"Well then…" Hermione said, biting her lip. "I'll take you next week, but I warn you…the group we have assembled are not the biggest fan of Slytherin house. There are no other Slytherins at all, just to prepare you"

"You're in Slytherin house" Amber-Rose pointed out. "There's you." Scarlett nodded, her blonde curls bouncing around her shoulders.

"Right" Hermione muttered.

"Where are we going?" Amber-Rose hissed, keeping her voice as low as she could for fear of being heard. They were scurrying along a seventh floor corridor the next week, heading to the D.A meeting.

"You'll see" Hermione said, speaking at normal volume. "We're working on pretty standard spells. Stunning, the Impediment jinx, Disarming and that sort of thing, just to warn you"

They moved in silence for several minutes until Hermione turned to face the blank wall which led to the Room of Requirement. She took a quick look at Amber-Rose and Scarlett as she did so.

Amber-Rose's expression was pretty solid, almost unreadable. She was looking around casually, only a small hint of curiosity etched in her eyes. Scarlett on the other hand was looking around like a maniac. Her eyes were blinking furiously and she was biting her lip. When she saw Hermione watching her she adopted a much more casual look, taking a deep breath.

Refocusing on what she was doing, Hermione thought about needing to get into the D.A room for the meeting and within a few seconds the door had morphed in front of them. Taking a deep breath and knowing that bringing her two friends in unannounced was probably asking for trouble, Hermione walked in.

Scarlett was walking slowly and Amber-Rose strode between them. The three girls stopped inside the door and looked around. The majority of the members were already there and three extra cushions had just appeared beside Ron's. Hermione could see Scarlett and Amber's names had just materialized on the D.A list as well.

"Uhh…?" That was all anybody could say. The sound came from Cho Chang and everybody else's faces mirrored the confusion. Ron and Harry looked astonished.

"What are you all staring at?" Amber-Rose asked. "I'm tall, I don't have an extra head" and with that she strode over and sat down on her cushion, one away from Ron. Scarlett shrugged, smiled a little and did the same. Now everybody was staring at Hermione, who blushed.

"Hermione…" Harry began. "Can I talk to you?" She nodded and Ron stood up too. The three of them walked out of the room and stood in a corner.

"What in Merlin's name was that?" Ron exploded, gesturing towards the door of the Room of Requirement which had now disappeared. "You brought Slytherins to one of our meetings! Are you out of your mind? They're going to tell Umbridge, or they're going to tell Malfoy who's going to tell Umbridge! We'll all get expelled!"

Hermione stared at Ron. He knew Scarlett; he had said she was alright. Not to mention Hermione was now a Slytherin but Ron was completely disregarding that. "Excuse me?" she snapped, folding her arms and looking between the two of them. "I'm a Slytherin too and besides, they're not going to tell anyone! They just want to learn how to pass their O.W.L's and learn to defend themselves like the rest of us. Scarlett and Amber-Rose are my friends and I should be allowed to invite my friends!"

Ron's face clouded and Harry looked uncomfortable. Hermione had known this was a bad idea, but it was just so unfair. Amber-Rose and Scarlett had been nice to her and made her feel like she actually had people she could talk to. They had asked to come and how could Hermione had denied them?

"'Mione, they're your friends. We don't know if we can trust them" Harry said. "We don't even know them!"

"It's like you're becoming like them!" Ron exclaimed. "You're becoming a Slytherin. We'll hear you're dating Malfoy next!"

Hermione flushed, half angry and half embarrassed. Ron's accusation hurt. Had he and Harry been talking about his behind her back for all this time? Did they hate her new friends and think she was becoming Slytherin like, really?

"How could you?" Hermione asked, her voice choked—then she turned and marched away back down the corridor.

"Yes! That's exactly what I heard. Right there in Professor Singlia's office!" Hermione passed Lavender Brown and Pavarti Patil at the Gryffindor table on her way to the Slytherins. The minute they saw her they stopped and giggled, hands over their mouths.

When she passed Hermione heard them launch back into conversation. "She really has gone all the way. You wait until Harry and Ron hear!" Then they started gigging again and Hermione's heart dropped to the pit of her stomach. Were they talking about what she thought they were? Had Singlia opened her big mouth at last? Who had she told?

"I heard it was her!" she heard Zacharias Smith say in a loud voice. "She threw herself at him. God knows why, he's not very attractive is he!"

"That shouldn't affect you; it's also a bit weird that you would notice" a blonde girl Hermione didn't know said, laughing at his comment.

"But-but she hates him!" chimed in Chrysilla Gold in a small, piping voice. "It was always obvious. I heard she actually punched him or something a few years back"

Hermione moved quickly past, drowning out that conversation only to hear another one.

"Well, that's good for you I suppose. She's not available, I always thought Harry was in love with her" said Marietta, Cho Chang's friend. Cho just smiled, sneaking a look across the hall and trying to find Harry. However, he wasn't at the Gryffindor table yet.

"It's a bit weird, isn't it?" Rory Diggory chuckled, talking to Kallista Gold. "Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy…who'd have thought?"

"You do realize that I don't care, right?" Kallista asked him, her tone teasing.

Finally Hermione reached the Slytherin table and there was no short of gossiping here. In fact, it was much more discussed with groups leaning across the table to talk to each other. Some were even standing up and walking to the other end of the table to have a discussion on the topic.

"He wouldn't, would he?" muttered Crabbe in a low, gruff voice to Goyle.

"No…would he?" Goyle almost echoed a pained look on his face.

As Hermione passed Heidi Fernandez and Arthur Diggory she noted that they seemed to be two of the only people not discussing the news. Instead they weren't talking at all, which was a nice change.

"Tell me! I don't like being out of the loop" pleaded Carlie Rosien, tugging on her brother Shawn's sleeve. He just kept shaking his head, a broad girl on his face and a piece of toast in his hand. "Please, please, pretty please!" she begged and Hermione stopped listening.

Suddenly she was stopped before she had even reached her seat and a hand collided with her cheek. One second later a sharp pain broke out where she had been hit and Hermione let out a gasp.

She looked up, holding her cheek and her eyes fell on Pansy Parkinson who was standing with her hands on her hips and a smirk twisting up her already unattractive face.

"Bitch!" she spat, shaking her head. "How dare you throw your Mudblood self at my Draco? Some people are saying that it was him but he would never-"

"Stupefy!"

Hermione looked up and saw Amber-Rose standing behind Pansy, rolling her eyes as Pansy's body fell to the ground. Scarlett was standing beside Amber-Rose, hands on hips and face screwed up in a perfect imitation of Pansy.

"It was the only way I could think of to get her to shut up" Amber-Rose said, walking towards Hermione. The entire hall was silent and now some teachers were running towards them, astonished by the sight before them. Singlia was among them and Hermione glared at her, disgusted with how she knew this news had gotten around.

"Miss. Height!" Professor McGonagall snapped, standing in front of the group. "I am aware that Miss. Parkinson has many faults but you still have no right to use magical defense spells against her. I am utterly dis-"

A small cough broke up the sentence and everybody peered around before spotting Umbridge who had made her way onto the scene unnoticed.

"I think it is I who should deal with this" she said, her voice dripping with false sweet-ness. "I is I who teach Defense Against the Dark Arts after all, is it not Minerva?" she smiled, before turning to Amber-Rose without waiting for an answer.

"What is it that Miss. Parkinson did to upset you?" she asked, plastering a stiff smile on her face. Amber-Rose glared at her, her expression disgusted.

"We would probably be here all day" she replied coolly, tossing her wand from one hand to thee other and staring Umbridge down. "But as I'm sure you want to teach your thoroughly interesting Defense classes today, I won't keep you"

"Amber-Rose was just defending Hermione" Scarlett piped up, her fists clenched. "Pansy was being a bit…bitter person." Amber-Rose managed to keep a straight face but Scarlett had to put her hand over her mouth to stop herself from erupting into giggles.

"Was she?" Umbridge did her best to sound sympathetic. "Well then, you have a warning Miss. Height. I have made it clear that I do not wish you to practice your practical defense anywhere except for in controlled environments. I wouldn't wish to have to punish you, would I?"

"I'm sure it wouldn't kill you" Amber-Rose said, without making an effort to keep her voice down. A few members of the watching audience allowed themselves to laugh until Umbridge turned towards them and they quickly resumed eating.

With that, Umbridge muttered the counter curse and Pansy's eyes blinked open. Then Umbridge swept out of the hall while McGonagall gave Amber-Rose a stern look before returning to the staff table, Singlia at her heels.

Amber-Rose, Scarlett and Hermione sat down in their seats and the two girls leaned towards Hermione, interested looks on their faces.

"I thought you hated him" Scarlett threw at her, a smirk playing on her lips. "But then we hear you've been kissing him. Details!"

Amber-Rose didn't say anything; she just crossed one leg over the other and cocked her head, waiting for Hermione's answer.

"I do hate him!" Hermione insisted. "He kissed me. It was totally out of the blue and I still have no idea why he did it. I was just talking about how I would take Ron over him any day and then he walked towards me, kissed me and said 'say that now' before leaving. It was bizarre and I didn't want to tell anybody because I wanted to forget it even happened. I think he wanted to forget it ever happened"

At that moment she looked up and saw the very person they were discussing storming towards them, his face livid. He looked murderous and his gaze was fixed on Hermione. He was going to blame her, she could tell by his set features.

"Granger, who did you tell?" he spat, eyes narrowed. He completely ignored Scarlett and Amber-Rose and they looked up in interest.

"Nobody" Hermione snapped. "Do you honestly think I would want to tell somebody what happened? It was Singlia, obviously. I you want to attack somebody, attack her and I will have no problem with it"

"Everybody thinks we're 'together' now" he threw back, hands flying everywhere.

"Great" Hermione muttered, pushing her plate away. "I just lost my appetite"

"Oh, for fucks sake you two!" Amber-Rose snapped, rolling her eyes and slamming down her goblet a little too hard. "Can you not deal with a few people talking about you? God, I think you'd be used to it"

"It's not just a few people" Hermione argued, glaring at her. "It's the whole…bloody hall!"

"Ooh, big words for such a little girl" Amber-Rose fired back, smirking a little. "If you want my advice-"

"We don't" Draco snapped.

"Oh, yes you do" she continued. "My advice is…grow up and stop being pathetic because at this rate you are going to convince people of your 'attraction' even more"

"Point" Scarlett muttered, staring at the table top.

Disgusted, Hermione looked at Malfoy and he looked at her. Amber-Rose had just subtly suggested that they were acting like they liked each other…was she really that stupid? It was ridiculous. After a few seconds the two of them looked away again, still angry with how this had all turned out.

"Speechless" Amber-Rose observed, smiling and taking her goblet again. Her job was done; it was much more peaceful without their constant whining.

Without another word Malfoy walked away, not looking back.


	8. Midnight

The next few days Hermione mostly spent in solitude. Harry and Ron seemed to be avoiding her more than ever, even turning and walking away when they saw her in the corridors. Ever since the last D.A meeting things had been sour and the three hadn't spoken since the news about Draco and Hermione had gotten out.

It was almost a relief, Hermione had expected Ron to march up to her and demand an explanation which he wouldn't accept. The silence was refreshing and she spent minimal time with Scarlett and Amber-Rose as well. It wasn't because she didn't want to see them; it was just that it was easier. If Hermione even mentioned the rumours and stories going around Amber-Rose would get all snappy and tell her to grow up and Scarlett would just look down and silently agree.

"I am going to place you into groups of four" Professor Flitwick announced one day in Charms. "I want you to practice Cheering Charms again in preparation for upcoming O.. If you do not understand or cannot perform one of these charms I would be quite worried seeing as we started work on them in your third year" he nodded and began separating the class.

"Amber-Rose Height, Gregory Goyle, Marcus Rayne and Katniss Christel" he pointed at each in turn and they all moved to one corner of the room. "Alexandra Lyons, Scarlett Maddox, Vincent Crabbe and Blaise Zabini." They moved also. Flitwick moved around the room splitting the students up and then he came down to the last eight students.

"Carlie Rosien, Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson" he announced and sent them on their way.

"But, Professor…" Pansy stood up, screwing up her face and 'subtly' looking at Hermione. "That's not…"

"Miss Parkinson" Flitwick replied, making his way back to the front of the room. "I split you up completely randomly, if you are going to tell me that it's not fair I don't want to hear it"

Pansy sank back into her chair, sulking. Hermione walked over to the group, seething just as much as Pansy was. Malfoy seemed to harbour the same feelings. Carlie on the other hand simply looked confused at the hostility, was she dim?

"Work!" sparks few from Flitwick's wand and the class immediately broke into conversation and laughter.

Hermione's group simply sat in awkward silence, nobody looking at each other. All four of them had their wands out and knew perfectly how to execute a Cheering Charm however it didn't seem like very much fun right now. It might have helped a lot though, they need a little cheer.

"Did you two really get it on in Professor Singlia's office?" Carlie asked after awhile, looking at Hermione and Malfoy. Her eyes were wide and it was clear that this was another conversation that had been going around.

Her words seemed to bring everybody in the group to life. Malfoy looked completely disgusted; Hermione began opening and closing her mouth as she tried to find words and Pansy stood up once again, knocking Carlie's wand to the floor and balling her fists.

"Of course they didn't!" she screeched. Everybody looked around and the room fell instantly silent.

"You can't tell me you idiots are still interested in this!" came Amber-Rose's voice from the other side of the room. "Honestly, no wonder half of you are failing, your priorities suck"

"Pansy, keep it down" Scarlett advised from her corner. "Some of us are trying to work." Flitwick smiled at the two girls and nodded at Pansy.

"If they 'got it on'…" Pansy continued in a lower voice as the class noise picked up again. "Then they wouldn't be avoiding each other now, would they?" She seemed very satisfied with her answer.

"Well…they could be embarrassed" Carlie suggested, shrugging. "But I'm just repeating what I heard. And besides, can't they speak for themselves?"

Pansy fell silent, staring at the open page in her Charms book. Hermione and Malfoy looked up, Hermione hoping she wasn't blushing.

"We can't stand each other" she explained quietly. "It was one kiss for non-romantic reasons and…somehow it got around." That was Hermione's vague version of what happened. It still seemed ridiculous that Singlia had actually spread this rumour, how could Dumbledore employ such a person?

"What reasons?" Carlie insisted, pushing on with the subject.

For this answer Hermione looked at Malfoy who was looking uncomfortable. Pansy had looked up from her book and was looking between them. Carlie blinked, simply waiting. "You'll have to ask Malfoy" Hermione announced and everybody's eyes shifted to him.

"It…was…Weasley…idiot…I…" he tried to explain, still not looking at anybody. Hermione rolled her eyes as she remembered the conversation. Malfoy must really hate Ron if he had to prove that Hermione would rather have him instead. "She compared me and Weasley!" he looked up, angrily. "What was I supposed to do?"

"I said that I would take Ron over you any day" Hermione shook her head. "I'm sure you would take Pansy over me any day…which really shows how much you hate me because she certainly isn't a prize." Carlie giggled.

"Weasley isn't either!" Malfoy snapped back, turning to face her. Pansy's face had turned sulky once more and she had sunk down in her chair. Carlie on the other hand was listening intently with the evil intentions of spreading some rumours of her own in the lunch hour.

"At least Ron doesn't look like he's half dog!" she said, her voice dripping with venom. "Not to mention he actually has half a brain and people like him! I can tell that the majority of Slytherins hate Pansy…including you!"

"Hey!" exclaimed Pansy, indignant but everybody ignored her.

"I…" Draco attempted to argue but fell silent when he realized Hermione had got him. When asked directly, nobody could deny their distaste for Pansy. "I'm smarter than Ron…I mean…Weasley!"

"Class dismissed" came Flitwick's small, piping voice from the front of the class and the group turned to see all the other students walking towards the door.

"Pathetic" Amber-Rose mouthed as she passed them and Scarlett giggled.

"I'll see you, guys" Carlie said and ran out of the room with Pansy following behind her looking shocked and even possibly hurt. The class was almost empty, with only Flitwick, Hermione and Malfoy left.

"Miss. Granger, Mr. Malfoy…you may go" Flitwick prompted, waving them towards the door. "As much as I love being a teacher I am entitled to my lunch break"

The two of them scurried towards the door, still heated from their argument. Hermione was used to arguing with Malfoy but not like this. For some reason this seemed different, more like they were just trying to get one up on each other instead of actually disliking one another.

But she did dislike him, she loathed him. Malfoy was arrogant, spoiled, idiotic and had offensive views on the world. He had been the first person to call her a Mudblood and though it didn't hurt so much anymore, it was still an offensive term. Not to mention he tormented her friends, Ron and Harry. And he thought he was a better person than Ron.

The minute they were out of the room Malfoy slouched against the wall, taking a deep breath and resuming a much more casual persona. A smirk played on his lips once again and Hermione stared at him, outraged.

"So Amber-Rose was right then" he said, in an annoyingly superior tone.

Hermione stared at him, eyes wide. She was surprised that Amber-Rose had been speaking to him. She thought he was just as immature as Hermione. Then again it wasn't Amber's fault that she wasn't speaking to Hermione; it was Hermione who had been avoiding her.

"What was she right about?" Hermione snapped, also leaning against the wall and crossing her arms over her chest, glaring daggers.

"You do like me!" he snorted, with a triumphant smile on his face. "You, Miss. Hermione Granger have completely crossed to the dark side now" then a dark look crossed his features. "But don't get any ideas Granger; I'm just glad I made my point. You don't really like Weasley; you're just lying to yourself"

Immediately her cheeks turned red, burning hotter than they had in a very long time. Who did Malfoy think he was? He had no right to make judgements about her feelings. In fact, Amber-Rose had no right either.

"How dare you! You haven't proved anything! I could never have feelings for you. You're arrogant and only ever think of yourself and you treat everybody else like dirt. How dare you!"

"You wouldn't be fighting it so hard if you didn't like me" he said simply. "Amber-Rose and Scarlett see it too. They…" then he fell silent, looking at his hands for a moment.

"They know that if they place that judgment on me then they have to place it on you too!" Hermione exclaimed, a smirk developing on her face too. "They didn't just say this about me, they said it about you! You like me, and you can't deny it because I can throw your own words back at you!"

With one last glare in Hermione's direction, Malfoy turned on his heels and made his exit shaking his head over and over again.

All Hermione wanted after this long day was some time of peace. However, with a castle brimming with excitable students it was hard to find a space during the day. So that night Hermione snuck out of her dormitory feeling much more daring than usual. Moving quietly she made her way outside to the Black Lake where she figured she was less likely to get caught.

Of course she knew that being daring while Umbridge was running the show wasn't the smartest idea she had ever had but she also knew that she needed to do something to get rid of the anger. Malfoy's accusation had been running through her head all day and even the satisfaction of proving her own point wasn't comforting anymore. Now she realized that proving her point had come with a price. She now knew that Malfoy was into her and that thought was not one she wanted to have.

Reaching the Black Lake she sat down, bringing her knees up to her chest and staring out into the darkness. It was peaceful here, a good place to think but now that she was here she wondered why she had wanted to think. Thinking was dangerous.

"Who's there?"

Suddenly a light broke through the darkness. It made everything glow and Hermione jumped up, peering around frantically. It only took a minute for her to spot the source. It was the tip of a wand illuminated and it lit up the face of Draco Malfoy.

Malfoy didn't look like his usual sneering self. In fact he almost looked like a human being. He looked like someone would if they were holed up in their bedroom listening to their parents fighting or someone just struck down by a bad breakup. He too looked like he just wanted peace.

"Malfoy…" she said, making her presence known and he jumped, spotting her at last. The expression on his face was one of exasperation just as if she was the last person he had wanted to see here.

"Oh, it's you" he muttered, letting his wand fall to the ground and sitting back down himself. Hermione did the same, feeling that this was going to be a very strange night. "What are you doing out here? I wouldn't have figured you to be rebellious"

"I wouldn't have figured you to want to get on Umbridge's bad side, aren't you one of her favourites?"

"Not by choice" Malfoy heaved a huge sigh and leaned his head back so it hit the tree trunk he was leaning against. "My father thinks it's the best idea to listen to what the Ministry is saying right now…they can't suspect…it's best that they don't believe Potter"

Hermione looked over at him, surprised by his honesty. This was practically Draco Malfoy admitting that You Know Who was back and he was admitting it to her. "So You Know Who is trying to hide then?" she asked, looking back out to sea.

"For now" he told her, placing his head in his hands. "He's mostly letting them…the Death Eaters…like my Dad do all the work. He's biding his time, it won't be like this forever"

"Oh…" Hermione murmured, picking up a leaf and beginning to rip it to shreds.

The two were silent for a few moments, both lost in their own thoughts. The only sounds were their tiny movements as they shifted into more comfortable positions or accidently cracked sticks with their shoes.

"I'm expected to join them, you know?" Malfoy said quietly, breaking the silence again.

Hermione looked up immediately, head snapping in his direction. You Know Who didn't take people of their age, he wouldn't. Who expected Malfoy to join the Death Eaters?

"What?" she exclaimed, unable to help herself.

"Not now…but later. My father thinks it's…the best thing" he explained and Hermione noticed his shoulders shaking a little. This was astounding. Was Draco scared? Did he not want to join the Death Eaters? Hermione had always thought he would be thrilled.

"Mother thinks they'll kill us if we step out of line, she thinks its best that I join them too" he continued, his voice breaking. "And I don't want to die"

"You don't want to join them?" she asked, her voice barely audible despite the complete silence.

"I don't know" he turned towards her, a little irritated. "It's an unpredictable war. Everybody on our side expects him to win, everyone on Dumbledore's side…they're…you're just fighting by faith. We're not that strong. Don't you get that?"

"Self-preservation" Hermione said, shredding a new leaf. "It's not exactly honourable"

"Hermione," he snapped not seeming to realize that he had used her first name. "I'm not trying to be honourable. I'm not Harry Potter!"

Hermione's eyes fell away and she wrapped her arms around her torso. It was so strange to see into the eyes of someone on the other side, into the eyes of a Slytherin. Hermione knew that self-preservation was a big part of the Slytherin traits and it was amazing how much it changed a person.

"It's not just you not being honourable though" she argued, finding her words again. "It's as if you don't trust Dumbledore. Don't you realize that he could protect you and your whole family? Why can't you see that? It would be easy for him. Dumbledore is the only person that You Know Who is afraid of"

Malfoy muttered something that Hermione didn't quite catch and looked away, frustration in his eyes.

"I'm not evil…" he said, talking to Hermione again. "I just don't believe in dying for a bunch of people who wouldn't die for me."

"If it helps…" she began, taking a deep breath. "I'm scared too. We're all scared. I just…I want to help people. But I don't think I could do what Harry's done"

"Do we have to talk about him?" Malfoy asked, rolling his eyes. Hermione almost laughed.

"I just mean that I don't think I could die for everybody either…I just like to believe I could" she explained. "I'm not trying to convince you to join our side. Well, I would but I know I can't. That's a choice you have to make yourself"

"You sound like Dumbledore" Malfoy said, smiling a half smile. "except more…female." Then Hermione laughed.

"Why are you telling me all of this?" she asked, feeling like she had just entered a badly written muggle movie.

"Because you are probably the only person who will listen" he admitted, sighing. "Think about it. Who else could I tell?"

"Amber-Rose?" Hermione suggested.

"Unfortunately there are two issues with that" he laughed, though his laugh didn't indicate humour. "Firstly I think she might be going through the exact same thing, it's sometimes better to complain to someone who can give an outsiders perspective and secondly…I'm pathetic right now, remember?"

"Oh, right…I forgot" Hermione smiled. "But you have to admit, she's actually right"

Now it was Malfoy's turn to stare at Hermione. "What do you mean she's right?" he asked, and his tone reminded her of normal Malfoy and she backtracked quickly.

"I mean…we are acting pathetic, arguing about stupid rumours or…a story about something that we know isn't true. It would probably be better if we just didn't care and stopped talking about it and then everybody else will stop talking about it. We know we don't like each other and it's none of anybody else's business "

"Right" Malfoy nodded, looking away again.

"Yes" Hermione added, standing up to end the conversation. "Okay…well…I'll see you later" she told him, nodding and picking up her wand. Then without waiting for him to say goodbye she began to walk away.

"Fuck…Hermione, wait!" Malfoy called, clambering to his feet and running to grab her wrist. Hermione's eyes widened but he didn't see. One beat later he had turned her around and they were kissing again, except this time it wasn't in front of a teacher and it wasn't to prove anything.

It was over a minute before Hermione pulled away, her face frozen in astonishment.

"What in Merlin's name are we doing?" she asked, staring at him.

"If I really have to explain that to you then I have truly underestimated your intelligence" he said, smirking. Though flustered and confused Hermione let him kiss her again, knowing in her heart that Amber-Rose had been right all along.

And the kissing continued and developed into more. It didn't matter that it was still Winter and outside by the Black Lake it was extraordinarily cold and nor did it matter that it was the middle of the night. Let's just say it's a good thing Umbridge didn't catch them.


	9. Finally!

**A/N – The reviews are amazing, I love you all. I would love more, so please read and review. It makes my day, seriously. I've been working so hard on this. So here is another chapter for you and I'm working on Chapter Ten and I think you'll like it. My story is going to take a real direction now, so I hope you enjoy it.**

"Morning"

Hermione looked up, rubbing her eyes and shivering on the cold ground. She was wrapped in Draco's jacket that he had been wearing last night.

Last night…it all came back to her then. She remembered how simply kissing ended up not being enough and they had began pushing for more. She remembered the smell of his skin and the feel of his hands on her waist, his lips on her lips. Things had gotten further and further out of hand and now it was done and Hermione couldn't find it in herself to regret it.

Then all of a sudden she registered the bright light coming from the sky. It was morning and they were both lying next to the lake, Hermione only covered in a jacket. She looked up and noted that Draco had already gotten dressed once more.

"Don't worry, it's still early…nobody's been out here" he told her, chuckling at the stricken look on her face.

"Oh, good" she breathed a sigh of relief and immediately began dressing herself, feeling awfully conscious of the open space she was doing it in. Draco continued to laugh, apparently her awkwardness amused him.

"Good morning" she said once she was finally fully clothed and not quite as cold as she had been. The sun was streaming down from the sky, it looked like the frost was coming to an end at last.

He smirked, leaning casually against the same tree as last night but with a very different expression on his face.

"Well…this is interesting, isn't it?" he said, passing the jacket she had handed to him back to her. "You're still cold" he explained, rolling his eyes and tossing his wand to the other hand.

"Interesting…" Hermione repeated, draping the jacket around her shoulders and settling down in the grass once again. "It was…I certainly didn't expect it" she smiled ever so slightly and attempted to push some of her hair behind her ear.

"Neither did I actually" Draco replied, examining his wand. "I'm going to kill Amber-Rose. Every time she's right I look like a prat…which is actually surprisingly often"

Hermione giggled, nodding. "She's gong to be pleased, I get the feeling she likes being right"

"Well then…" he said, standing up and shaking the grass off himself. "Do we head to breakfast and give her the satisfaction?"

A chilly feeling crept into Hermione's stomach. She hadn't spoken to Ron and Harry for ages and had been hoping to patch it up with them somehow but now this…How could they ever forgive her for this? It hurt to know that it wouldn't matter to them that she was happy right now. All that would matter was who she had been happy with and it was going to end badly.

"What are you thinking?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Ron and Harry…" she muttered, looking towards the ground. She knew that he was probably a little bit pleased that he had this over Ron. It didn't matter to Draco that she was going to loose her best friends if she hadn't lost them already.

"Oh…" his voice trailed off as he tried to find something to say to console her. "I'm sure they'll…get over it"

"They're never going to speak to me again" she exclaimed, head snapping up to look at him with a fiery look in her eye. "They're already not speaking to me but…they're going to hate me. You know they are!"

"Look, Hermione," Draco said, exasperated. "Here is the time where you have to make a choice! It's a shitty choice for you, yes but you have to make it. I'm not going to say that it's me or them, as much as it would piss me off to have you hanging out with them but regardless of whether you have them you've got me. They way you talk about them makes them seem like they're not very good friends"

Hermione shrugged, her heart sinking. When did he get so insightful? It sucked to know that he was right.

"Come on then" she muttered, beginning to walk towards the doors to the Entrance Hall. Draco caught up with her and grabbed her hand. Taking a breath Hermione looked up at him and smiled slightly. It was incredible how things had changed so quickly, but it had and now she had to live with the consequences of wanting what she wanted.

They entered the Great Hall and Hermione loosened her grip on his hand, attempting to let go. He rolled his eyes once more and clasped it tighter. "Stop being pathetic" he muttered.

"Oh my god!" Scarlett was in front of them in a matter of two seconds, intercepting them on their way to the Slytherin table. Amber-Rose was still sitting in her seat with a small smirk on her face and an unreadable glint in her eye. "You two actually…oh my god!" Scarlett was still screaming and causing everybody to look around at them.

"Scarlett, do you have a volume control?" Draco asked, laughing at her.

"I'm sorry but…it was so obvious and then you were being all annoying and avoiding us because you didn't want to admit it and now you guys are together! You are together, right?"

"No, Draco's holding my hand in the middle of a public place with my two best friends who are going to hate me now watching because we hate each other" Hermione said all in one breath. Scarlett blew a strand of hair from her face and then she broke out into a grin.

"You called him Draco!" she squealed, bouncing on her toes. "That's so cute!"

"My name is cute?" Draco asked, amused.

"You know what I mean" she snapped, hitting him playfully. "So, are you two coming to sit with us then?"

"HERMIONE!"

Slowly everybody turned towards the sound. Several occupants of the house tables turned to watch too. Hermione's breath caught in her throat as she saw Ron storming towards them, his face livid.

"Here we go" Amber-Rose said, appearing at Hermione's shoulder. Without really realizing it Hermione gripped Draco's hand tighter. Of course that wasn't going to help her cause.

Harry was following behind Ron, looking astonished and almost as angry as Ron did. Hermione hadn't expected anything less. After all Harry had been in a bad mood these days and did seem to take it out on anybody who did the smallest thing wrong. But this wasn't wrong, it had nothing to do with Harry…this was Hermione's happiness.

"Hey, Weasley" Draco drawled, apparently trying not to laugh. Hermione looked at the ground and let go of his hand, drawing her arms around her torso and fighting not to blush.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Ron asked, glaring at her and shifting his eyes back and forth between the two of them. His eyes were slits and his fists were balled at his sides while Harry stood at his shoulder, the sidekick for once.

A giggle came from behind Hermione and she turned to see Scarlett covering her mouth with both hands, a smile still evident on her face.

"What are you laughing at?" Ron shouted, turning on her. Scarlett blinked, embarrassed that she had been heard.

"Um…" she began, actually managing to continue looking Ron in the eye. It seemed she had more guts that Hermione did. "It's just that…the word fuck seemed a bit of an ironic curse word considering the situation." Then she smiled slightly and stepped backwards so that she was behind Amber-Rose.

Both Hermione and Ron's mouths dropped open.

"I'm sorry" Scarlett whispered in response to Hermione's glare. Hermione just huffed and turned back to Ron. He appeared to be waiting for her to defend herself and many eyes were currently on her. She had to step up to the plate now.

"You weren't even speaking to me!" she said, putting her hands on her hips. "Both of you, you were just avoiding me. What was I suppose to do? Ruin my happiness by sitting in my dormitory every night and mourning over you. You two believed the rumours and had absolutely no faith in me! You said yourself that I would be dating Draco Malfoy next"

"We didn't think you actually would!" Harry snapped back.

"Oh, well I'm sorry that I didn't spend my whole life crying over somebody too stupid to realize that I had feelings for him!" Hermione threw back, her eyes travelling to Ron. Ron's eyes widened as he stared at her. "I can't control my feelings, okay? But Draco was actually there for me, you two weren't. There had to come a point when I could give up on Ron."

"What the hell are you on about?" Ron asked, his voice quieter. He seemed to have calmed down a little after Hermione's exclamation.

"Oh my god, Ron!" she shouted, unable to calm down herself. "You have to be the thickest person I have ever met! I've spent years hoping you would grow up and ask me out. Last year…at the Yule Ball…how could you not have figured it out then? I thought you felt the same but you never said anything and it drove me mad. The only reason Draco kissed me in the first place was because I said I would rather be with you over him. You just…" she trailed off in exasperation almost on the verge of pulling her hair out.

"What…? I…" Ron stammered, his hands falling loose. Harry was watching him and it was obvious that he had seen this coming. Hermione knew it had been apparent how she felt for years, Harry wasn't blind.

"It's just as I thought" she said, coolly. "You had no idea. Well, I gave up…you couldn't accept that I had to get involved with new people that you didn't really like. My life isn't up to you, Ron and now you're just going to have to live with it"

"So…what?" Harry asked, looking at the group before him. Hermione standing next to Draco Malfoy with Scarlett Maddox and Amber-Rose Height behind them. It was like she had completely crossed over and left them behind. "You're joining them? Becoming Malfoy's girlfriend and their best friend…?" he pointed at Scarlett and Amber-Rose whole folded their arms across their chests and glared at him. "You're siding with them?"

"This isn't a side thing, Harry" she said, rolling her eyes. "I'm not evil, I'm not a Death Eater…but I'm not you either. I'm not the hero."

Hermione turned and took Draco's hand again. She led him to the Slytherin table with Scarlett and Amber-Rose walking behind them, shooting smirks back at Harry and Ron as they stood in the middle of the hall. Several Slytherin students were laughing and as bad as Hermione felt for that she was still seething from the attack.

"So…" Draco began, leaning his elbows on the table and grinning at her. "You're my girlfriend then, eh?"

"Sure, why not?" she replied, a half smile appearing on her face and giving him a quick kiss before she turned and began eating her breakfast as fast as she could as class was due to start in a matter of minutes.

Up at the staff table a look passed between Professor Singlia and Dumbledore. Heaving a deep sigh, Singlia lifted her goblet to her lips muttering,

"Finally!"


	10. A Moment Of Truth

**A/N – Again, the reviews are lovely. I hope to get more, please…review! Like, you have no idea how much it makes my day. Now, here is a chapter I am half proud of and half weary of. I got to write a lot of other characters but…I'm scared of how I did them. I hope you all like it.**

The night was dark and peaceful as Dumbledore sat in his office absorbed in nothing but his own thoughts. What he was thinking about nobody but the woman standing in the doorway knew. Dumbledore entwined his fingers together, frowning slightly as he turned to welcome her inside.

"Yes, Shaylene, come in" he greeted with a nod of his head. Shaylene Singlia entered and immediately took a seat in the chair facing Dumbledore. She seemed awfully sure of herself in his presence.

"You called me here to discuss, Albus" she prompted, leaning back in her chair lazily as she waited for their conversation to begin. Dumbledore raised his eyebrows at her, amused.

"Straight to the point?" he asked, conjuring two cups of tea, milk and sugar with his wand. "That doesn't seem very much like you, Shaylene, at all. I would have thought you would have asked for refreshments first." He pushed the second teacup towards her and then summoned some small cakes.

"It is my aim to be the unexpected" Singlia shrugged, adding milk and three sugars to her tea before raising it to her lips.

"Indeed" Dumbledore smiled, looking all he could see of her up and down. "The students certainly find you rather a mystery. I trust you are keeping the plan just as mysterious"

"Of course" she swallowed her tea with a gulp. "Nobody suspects a thing. Hermione hasn't been able to figure out why we moved her to Slytherin house. How could she? It's not exactly something anybody would expect. I was rather surprised by the uproar it caused however. Especially with fights breaking out in the Great Hall…Dolores is bound to have our necks at some point"

"I, myself, did expect this but it can't be helped. And besides, Dolores Umbridge cannot punish us for something she doesn't understand. At the time I moved Miss. Granger to Slytherin house Dolores had no power. And if I'm honest, it seems she's rather enjoying the idea"

Singlia made a disgusted noise the back of her throat.

"Now, now, Shaylene" Dumbledore raised his hand, shaking his head. "You know that if there was anything I could do I would. The Ministry is taking over everything; they have more power than I. You know this. But they will not mess with the plan. I constructed it and I believe it is going to work out for the best"

"But Albus, I've been thinking…nobody has been able to change a prophecy, nobody! Prophecies are fact, they cannot be altered. My sister went through it with me; she doesn't think it's going to work"

"Yes, but Evanna had her doubts about me from the start, didn't she? And perhaps she doesn't wish me to succeed. It was after all her prophecy that I am trying to alter. You have been a brilliant ally to this point Shaylene; it would be a shame for you to take your sisters views on me now"

"But you know I haven't shown any signs of being a Seer, myself!" Singlia exclaimed, standing up and beginning to pace the room. "When I made my prediction I didn't even know it was happening. It seems ridiculous that a girl could ever change the future for Draco."

"Ah, but it must be possible. We have gotten this far, have we not?" Dumbledore said, raising a finger to stop her. "The two of them, despite the unfortunate scene with Ron Weasley and Harry this morning, seem perfectly content in their relationship. I believe that if anything can keep Draco Malfoy on our side where we need him, its love"

"Why love?" Singlia demanded, challenging him. 

"Because that is the one thing Voldermort does not possess" Dumbledore said simply. "If I were to explain everything we would be here all night. I simply need you to trust me. Hermione Granger is the perfect person to show Draco the light, so to speak. And then, once he has her and begins to understand a thing or two, we will be prepared"

"You really think Draco's important to the fight, then?" asked Singlia, sinking back into her seat.

"Yes" Dumbledore told her, sternly.

"Okay, fine. I do trust you…it all seems very ridiculous though"

"That it is" Dumbledore chuckled, taking a sip of his untouched tea. "You have played your part well, I see. We've moved forward faster than I ever expected. However, I don't believe Professor Binns is very grateful to have to desert his post for the time being"

"Oh, he'll get it back" Singlia said, heaving a great sigh. "I don't think teaching is the gig for me. Especially trying to make that subject fun every single day, it's exhausting"

"However, you are a natural" Dumbledore told her and she smiled.

"Ah-ha!"

The two professors turned to see Professor Dolores Umbridge standing in the doorway. She was wearing a pink nightdress and had a triumphant gleam in her eye.

"I really must remember to lock the door when I have visitors" Dumbledore spoke calmly as if his important plan had not been overheard by a Ministry worker with the power to put a stop to everything. In fact, nobody knew how much Umbridge had heard, although it seemed like rather a lot.

"You are plotting and scheming behind the Ministry's back, Albus Dumbledore" Umbridge exclaimed, tottering into the room and raising her hands high. "Another plan centred around He Who Must Not Be Named as well! Did you think we wouldn't find out?"

"Dolores, my plan is for the greater good of the Wizarding Community and this school!" Dumbledore said, rising from his chair. Singlia watched the scene before her, eyes wide.

"Hah! So you say" Umbridge cackled, looking around the room with her squinty little eyes as if she was going to find further incriminating evidence there. "But you hired Professor Hagrid, did you not? Was that for the greater good of the school? You have a soft spot, a brain that nobody can understand. Who's to know if what you do is for the good of anybody"

"Dolores, calm down. I do believe you are appearing quite mad" said Dumbledore and behind his tone stood a force that caused Umbridge to blink several times.

"I will not take orders from you" she snapped, insulted. "In fact, nobody will have to take orders from you for much longer. As soon as I get the Minister involved, you will be finished!"

"We'll see" Dumbledore said simply, taking his seat once more and looking up at Umbridge with a small smile. She huffed and turned, exiting the room.

"Well, it appears we have hit a slight snag. However, it's nothing we can't work around. What Dolores Umbridge heard is in no way incriminating and I can't find a reason for Fudge to get rid of me. As I say, Dolores has no power over things she doesn't understand and nor does Fudge"

Singlia nodded, stunned into silence.

Still in her flowing pink nightdress, running with excitement, Umbridge exited the school. She apparated outside the school gates.

The street she ended up on was completely deserted and she began tottering towards a phone box not too far off, her gaze set. There was something funny about a little woman in a nightdress in the middle of the night but there were no muggles about to see her.

However, there was somebody about. This somebody recognized Dolores Umbridge as a Ministry worker. This somebody had a crazy mane of untamed black hair and heavily lidded eyes. She was accompanied by a man with long blonde hair who bore a remarkable resemblance to Draco Malfoy.

"Her!" exclaimed Bellatrix Lestrange, keeping her voice at a hiss.

"That would be Dolores Umbridge, she works for Fudge" Lucius Malfoy supplied, looking almost bored. He wasn't happy about being stuck working with a recently escaped maniac but that couldn't be helped.

"Perfect, she will be able to perform the task the Dark Lord wishes" she said, rubbing her hands together and watching the stumbling woman in the street. "We must try, one more time, whatever he wants he will get"

Lucius nodded, watching Umbridge as she reached the telephone box. "When she disappears we will enter" he decided, standing up and beginning to walk towards the phone box with Bellatrix striding behind him. Umbridge was let into the Ministry and Lucius and Bellatrix followed, entering the same way.

The reached the big entrance hall just as Umbridge was standing at the desk, looking around for somebody. Bellatrix let out a harsh laugh and Umbridge turned to look at them.

Her face froze in shock and her mouth opened as if to speak but before the word even formed on her lips Bellatrix raised her wand.

"Imperio" she said, calmly and Umbridge became instantly still, barely blinking.

"Go to the Department of Mysteries" Bellatrix commanded, wand still raised towards Umbridge. Umbridge immediately turned and led them through several doors and into the elevators.

"Must find Fudge…" Umbridge muttered, barely moving her lips and twitching slightly. "Must warn…about Dumbledore…Draco Malfoy"

Lucius looked up, eyes narrowing at the mention of his son. "Ask her what she's talking about" he demanded, turning to Bellatrix who frowned.

"Explain your mutterings, woman" she spoke, her voice harsh as she turned her wand on Umbridge once again. Umbridge turned towards them, eyes round like saucers. She fell still once more, the twitching stopped but she opened her mouth and began to speak.

In a short space of time she explained Dumbledore's intentions and the goings on at Hogwarts School. Every time Draco's name was mentioned Lucius clenched his fists and his face took on a murderous look every time Hermione's name was associated. When Umbridge finished explaining the elevator doors opened but nobody moved.

"Are you quite sure?" Bellatrix asked, raising her eyebrows and staring at Umbridge. "Draco has been drawn in by…Dumbledore's plan?" Umbridge simply nodded and Lucius immediately reached out and pressed the Ground Floor button.

"What are you doing?" Bellatrix hissed, glaring at him. "We were carrying out the Dark Lords orders!"

Lucius glared right back at her. "But now we have information the Dark Lord might be interested in…information about my son. If you had children Bellatrix, which I am not surprised you don't, you might understand my reaction better"

The minute the elevator doors opened once again Lucius exited out them with Bellatrix scurrying behind him talking loudly about how he didn't know what they were doing and if their information wasn't satisfactory the Dark Lord wouldn't be pleased. Umbridge was left frozen in the elevator, looking rather stupid.

"Ooh, waffles!" Scarlett reached out and loaded her plate and beginning to eat. Hermione, Amber-Rose and Draco all laughed, taking their own seats and beginning to fill their plates too.

"Why are you always so enthusiastic about food?" Amber-Rose asked, smiling as she took a bite of her pancake. "It's like you were starved as a child or something"

"Maybe I was" Scarlett said, trying to add an air of mystery to her voice. It was somewhat ruined however when she burst into a fit of giggles and dropped a pancake on the floor.

"Well, I'm a guy and Scarlett has a bigger appetite than I do. So, what does that say about me?" Draco asked.

"That you are not male…and Scarlett is" Amber-Rose shrugged.

Hermione just smiled as her friends…and boyfriend bantered back and forth. Everything seemed so different so suddenly. People were still talking about her but now that she had accepted her feelings it didn't bother her so much. She officially had a new group of friends and her previous friends couldn't stand her. While she had cried herself to sleep last night she was trying to act as if it was okay, otherwise her life was going to be miserable.

"Look!" Scarlett pointed up at the owls flying around the Great Hall delivering the mail. Two of them were heading towards their area. One landed in front of Scarlett and one in front of Draco. Hermione and Amber-Rose leaned forwards to see what had been sent.

Scarlett pulled out a letter and immediately fell into silence reading it, while beginning to eat the chocolate muffins that had sent with it. Draco also unearthed a letter and his face became more unreadable as he scanned down the page.

"What does it say?" Hermione asked in a low voice. Scarlett hadn't noticed the tension as she was still reading her letter but Amber-Rose was looking their direction, curious.

Draco sighed and handed it over to her, before looking at the tabletop and staying silent.

_Draco,_

_We wish you to return home immediately. Only for a short time but there is some business we need to attend to and some things we can not tell you unless in person. Dolores Umbridge has arranged for the fire in her office to be connected to the Floo Network for an hour from 4pm Wednesday the 3__rd__ of January and you will be free to use it. We have sent a note to the Headmaster and expect to see you at the arranged time. We miss you._

_Sincerely, _

_Mum and Dad_

Hermione read the letter through several times and then passed it across the table for Amber-Rose to read. She reached out and put her hand on top of Draco's and he smiled slightly. It seemed obvious what this was about. It would have something to do with You Know Who and that made both of them nervous.

"I suppose I should go and pack my things" Draco muttered as Amber-Rose handed him the letter back.

"I'll help" Hermione offered, rising to her feet also and taking his hand. Leaving Amber-Rose and Scarlett in silence the couple walked out of the Great Hall and down to the dungeons. Hermione walked with him up to his dormitory and watched as he began shoving things into his trunk.

"I wonder what…" she began and then fell silent, unsure whether she wanted to finish the sentence. "Do you think it has to do with…?" she let the half question hang in the air, watching him as he rose to his full height and looked at her.

"Yes, it has something to do with the Dark Lord. There couldn't be anything else they would want to talk to me about in person. The problem is…I don't know what and I don't really think I want to find out"

"Then don't go!" Hermione insisted, walking across the room and wrapping her arms around his waist. He laughed bitterly. "Honestly Draco, what are they going to do if you don't?" she asked, shaking her head. "They won't come here; they can't do anything to you. Maybe you could say you didn't get the letter"

Draco simply shook her off and sank down onto his bed, sighing. "You don't get it Hermione. You're family are Muggles…they're not like mine. There are plenty of things they could do. It's better if I just go and hear them out"

Hermione took a seat next to him and put a tentative hand on his shoulder. "I'll miss you" she whispered and he turned towards her and kissed her. They kissed for several beats before pulling apart and looking at each other.

"I'll…I'll miss you too" Draco told her, his lips curling in a half smile.

Then several hours later Dolores Umbridge ushered him up to her office and he disappeared into the flames of the fire.


	11. Before the Storm

**A/N – I hope you enjoy this chapter. I left it kind of on a cliffhanger which I don't really do often so…yes. I enjoyed writing it so I hope you enjoy reading it. 3 I love you all.**

"But Evanna…Dumbledore has it all under control. We're going to prevent the prophecy from coming true, there's nothing you can do!"

"What the fuck?" Amber-Rose whispered to Scarlett as they headed down the corridor while the other students were at dinner. The two girls had decided that they weren't hungry and were searching for a quiet place to practice defensive spells. It had been Scarlett's idea as she had insisted that it was the only way they could pass their O..

As they passed the History of Magic classroom, however, they heard Professor Singlia's voice whispering these words and it made them curious. They stopped outside the door and listened.

"Yes, Shay…there is! It's my prophecy! I'm the Seer in this in this family, we all know that. You were the disappointment. There is no way that what you predicted will come true. And besides, nobody can prevent a prophecy, not even your precious Dumbledore"

This second voice was higher pitched than Singlia's but not as annoyingly girly as Umbridge's. Its tone was irritable.

"When did you get so cynical? Do you want He Who Must Not Be Named to be back for real? Do you want an innocent teenage boy to side with him and cause all the problems for our side that you predicted? You can't side with them now Evanna because then you will be the disappointment"

"Oh, please!" the higher voice, Evanna, spat. "Everybody knows where we are headed. Dumbledore is putting his faith in a teenage boy with a scar on his forehead. With my prophecy and the power the Dark Lord is gaining behind the Ministry's back…"

"THE DARK LORD!" Singlia's voice echoed through the corridor and Scarlett and Amber-Rose jumped back in shock. "So you are on their side? You are siding with the Death Eaters. How could you? You don't even want to try and fix what could go wrong"

"I wish I could" Evanna stayed calm throughout Singlia's outburst. "I wish you could but you can't. These are just facts Shay, you need to face them"

"Hermione Granger is doing wonders for Draco" Singlia said, choking back sobs. "I can tell…she's already getting through to him. Dumbledore's plan is going to work!"

"Dumbledore's plan?" before Amber-Rose could stop her Scarlett had stepped into the classroom, eyes wide. "Dumbledore has a plan that involves Hermione…and Draco? Is that why he moved her into Slytherin"

Upon Scarlett's entrance Singlia scrubbed her eyes quickly with the sleeve of her robes and stood tall, trying to master some authority.

"Listening at doors is a very poor trait, girls" she snapped, glaring at them. "You end up hearing things that you weren't meant to hear"

"Uh…yeah, exactly!" Scarlett rolled her eyes. "Like that fact that you two are having some big disagreement about some plan that Dumbledore has formulated that involves our friends. And now that we've heard this you have to explain"

"I prophesied about Draco Malfoy joining the Death Eaters and…well, I am at no liberty to explain to you" Evanna told them, folding her arms and looking down at them. "But my sister prophesied herself, or so Dumbledore says. Apparently she said something about love and Hermione Granger being the person who could keep him on the light side. It's a load of bullshit if you ask me but there you go"

Amber-Rose and Scarlett's eyes moved to Singlia, looking for more information. She was red in the face, the feeling of betraying Dumbledore being almost too much for her.

"Dumbledore decided it would be best to switch Hermione into Slytherin so they could get to know each other better. I was supposed to intervene and try and move it along. I did my part and pretty soon I will be leaving the school" Singlia explained, shaking her head. "Unless everything gets out of hand like it seems to be doing. Umbridge heard Dumbledore and I discussing the plan last night"

"Draco got a letter this morning from his parents. He's been taken out of school for awhile" Amber-Rose said, frowning a little.

"Dumbledore is deluded" Evanna snapped. "There is no way that a little thing like love is going to keep a pureblood wizard from the Dark Lord"

"I'm a pureblood" Scarlett said quietly. "So is Amber-Rose" she pointed to Amber.

"Yes, but this is a prophecy!" Evanna exclaimed. "You are all deluded. This is absolutely ridiculous. Look, I came to talk some sense into you Shaylene but I can see you are a lost cause." And with that she turned and swept out of the door.

"Yeah…we should go too" said Scarlett, edging backwards towards the door. "Got…studying to do"

Singlia didn't even hear her. She had turned and was blowing her nose with a tissue on her desk, oblivious of the fact that she still had guests.

The two girls ran out of the room and stopped halfway up the corridor. Their faces were flushed and they were still trying to take in what had just happened. A lot had just happened. It was mind blowing. It almost seemed as if Dumbledore had been manipulating Hermione and Draco just so that they could defeat the Dark Lord.

"Do we tell Hermione?" Scarlett asked.

"Fuck yes" Amber-Rose replied and the two of them set off down the hall once more.

They found Hermione sitting in the library with her nose in Quidditch Through the Ages. Scarlett frowned, giving Amber-Rose a confused look. Hermione had always zoned out during Quidditch conversations, no matter how interesting they had been. Amber-Rose snapped her fingers in front of Hermione's page and she looked up in blatant surprise.

Her eyes were somewhat redder around the edges than usual and she had a lonely look about her. She must be lonely, she hadn't ventured into the library for ages. Scarlett looked worried and Amber-Rose just rolled her eyes.

"Hermione…" Scarlett began, shuffling on the spot a little. "We have to talk to you"

Sighing as if she was expecting more bad news to come her way, Hermione stood up and put the book under her arm. Amber-Rose led them out of the library and continued walking until they were out of the castle and into the cool evening air.

"Right," she began, taking a seat on one of the benches and looking directly at Hermione. Scarlett stood beside Hermione and looked at the ground. "So we were walking down the corridor, we weren't hungry…if you needed an explanation for why we were walking down the corridor. Anyway, we heard Singlia talking to someone. She was talking about Dumbledore and how he was trying to prevent a prophecy from coming true!"

"What?" Hermione interrupted, amazed. "Dumbledore is trying to prevent a prophecy from coming true?"

"Yes, but that's not the point" Scarlett jumped back into life and rolled her eyes with impatience. "The prophecy is about Draco! And then apparently Singlia made a prophecy about you and Draco!"

"Singlia is a Seer?" Hermione asked.

"Yes!" Scarlett exclaimed, exasperated with Hermione's reactions. "And she was seeing things about you and Draco! The prophecy about Draco was something to do with him joining the Death Eaters and causing all sorts of shit that they wouldn't explain to us but the one about you and him said that you would show him love and bring him to the light or something"

Finally Hermione was stunned into silence. Scarlett took this and a nod from Amber-Rose as a sign that she should continue. "Apparently Singlia was hired to help speed things along. She was supposed to make you two realize you could have feelings for each other…which she kind of did." Hermione blushed.

"So, basically Dumbledore was trying to manipulate you into getting into a relationship with Draco to keep him from joining the dark side" Amber-Rose said bluntly, shrugging. "Do with that what you will; we just thought you should know"

"Yeah…thank you" Hermione murmured, pushing back her hair and turning to walk back towards the castle. She was dazed, completely unsure of anything right now. Was her relationship with Draco even real? Of course it was. Dumbledore hadn't forced the feelings into her heart; they had been there and developed over the time. Dumbledore had given her happiness. But everything still felt a little wrong.

And what was Professor Umbridge doing letting Draco out of school through the Floo Network? That didn't seem like her at all.

Meanwhile Draco was standing with a wand at his throat and a cold, snake-like face close to his. He was breathing in shaking gasps and his parents watched on, his father solemn and his mother wide eyed with tears escaping.

"Are we clear, Draco?" the cold, high voice of Lord Voldermort broke through the silence and he jabbed Draco's throat a little with his wand. "Do you need me to repeat the plan again? We will not let Albus Dumbledore win this time, will we?"

"No" Draco tried to shake his head but found it hard in his situation. He was shaking, astonished with his task. Could he possibly do this?

"Good" Voldermort lowered his wand and Draco slid down the wall and crumpled to the floor, trying his best to stop shaking.


	12. Distant

**A/N – More reviews please. I know I say this a lot but I'd love knew readers and if you read I'd love you to review. Honestly, I smile every single time. So, with that all said…this chapter sucks. I know this chapter sucks. I wanted to have it up tonight and I'm about to go to bed so I'm upload the crap that I've got. So, here you go. It's going to get dramatic soon.**

"Professor Singlia!" exclaimed Hermione, reaching the door of the History of Magic office and spotting the teacher in question. It had taken a night of tossing and turning and half a day of wandering around in a daze before she realized she had to speak to the Seer herself.

Before her Singlia was shoving everything into a small trunk, everything that lay on surfaces or hung from the walls. The tinkling drapes were gone, as were all the photos of Singlia's teen years. The Professor was wiping her brow and she jumped into the air when she heard Hermione.

"Oh, Hermione…dear" she muttered, running her fingers frantically through her fiery hair and picking up the frame she had dropped in her fright. A picture depicting Singlia with a gang of giggling girls was cracking down the middle.

"Where are you going?" Hermione asked, astonished at the sight before her. "I thought you were our History of Magic teacher? You were better than Binns"

"I'm glad you think so" Singlia smiled and it was a genuine smile. She placed the broken picture frame into her trunk and then closed it with a bang, turning to face Hermione full on. She looked as if she hadn't slept. Her eyes were red and she looked frazzled. Not to mention she looked almost as dazed as Hermione. "I'm not your History of Magic teacher permanently though" she explained. "I trust you know the full story by now"

"I do" Hermione confirmed, shifting her weight to her left foot awkwardly. "Scarlett and Amber-Rose told me…why are you leaving?"

Singlia let out a cackle, almost as if this question had an obvious answer. "I have not managed to play to Albus' wishes" she said, sighing. "I was not able to keep the plan a secret from you. And now he's going to be angry and so are you and you're going to break up with Draco and the plan will fail"

"I'm going to what?" Hermione asked, letting out a laugh herself. So that's what Singlia thought was going to happen. She thought that because Hermione knew the truth she wouldn't feel the same about her boyfriend. "I'm not going to break up with him!"

"Excuse me?" Singlia looked up, met Hermione's eyes and gasped. "You're going to stay with him even though you hated each other before I got involved? This is your chance to get your friends back but you're going to stay with a potential dark wizard?" Hermione simply nodded.

"I…I love him. And I think I always did" she admitted, coming to a realization. "I couldn't admit it to myself and I couldn't admit it to my friends. I also couldn't admit it to him because he was so hateful. I guess I was ashamed, ashamed that I could have feelings for somebody who called me horrible names and treated my friends badly. But, there you are…I've had feelings for him for years. I just needed you to show me"

Singlia was in tears now and she rushed forwards and scooped Hermione up in a big hug. Hermione screwed up her face in surprised but returned the gesture half-heartedly.

"I knew it!" Singlia giggled as she pulled away and twirled around in a circle. "I knew I was onto something. Which means…you must be the one. I must really be a Seer and that must truly have been a prophecy. You could save Draco! You must save Draco"

The prophecies came back into Hermione's head now. Scarlett had said that one was about Draco and the Death Eaters and the other was about her and Draco. The idea that Draco could be a threat to Dumbledore's side was scary. The thought that she was supposed to be the one to keep him from doing that was even scarier. Hermione just couldn't believe that there was a prophecy about her. It blew her mind.

"I'll try" she said, biting her lip. "I just…I hope I'm enough"

"Of course you are" Singlia giggled again and gave another twirl. "I predicted it would be you, after all." She seemed to be high on the thought that she was an actual Seer. Hermione wondered why.

"Now you have to promise me something Hermione" Singlia began, taking a much more serious tone and stopping her spinning. She guided Hermione to the desk and sat her down, kneeling in front of her. "You have to promise me that you will not tell Draco a thing about this. Can you do that?"

The question surprised Hermione a little bit but once it hung in the air it made sense. How could she help Draco when he knew what she was trying to do? There was no telling what would happen if he was to know, Hermione would have to keep it to herself.

"I promise" she said, her voice quiet. "It's best if he doesn't know"

Singlia reached up and embraced her once again. Hermione stared over her shoulder at nothing in particular. It was a strange moment, almost sweet. It appeared she and Singlia had managed to come to an understanding after all this time.

"Now, I must unpack seeing as…well…I'm not going anywhere" Singlia laughed a tinkling laugh and headed for the trunk. "Run along" she added, waving Hermione towards the door of her room.

Taking one last look around the Professors office, Hermione headed out of the door slowly. Her brain was filled with thoughts of prophecies, Draco Malfoy and what might happen if people were to stumble across the information.

"He's back, Hermione!" Scarlett called the minute she saw Hermione enter the Common Room. Scarlett and Amber-Rose were standing in the corner by the fire and it looked as if they had just been guiding a blank looking Draco to a seat beside them. A smile lighting up her face, Hermione rushed to the other side of the room and threw her arms around him.

Draco shifted uncomfortably but kissed her quickly on the lips before taking his seat. His expression was completely blank and there was a sort of coldness in his eyes. How was anybody supposed to guess what had just happened last night? Nobody could know why he had been summoned out of school.

"I've missed you" Hermione said, taking his hand and smiling. Amber-Rose and Scarlett rolled their eyes towards one another and Hermione shot them a look.

"It's only been one night" Draco muttered, keeping hold of her hand but not doing anything else in the way of reaction. Hermione's eyes widened and she took her hand away, feeling the coldness of his stare.

"Oh, well…yes" she said, her voice almost inaudible. The whole group lapsed into silence before Draco stood up and began walking towards the Boys Staircase without a word.

"Yeah…I'll be back" Amber-Rose told the girls and she stood up and followed him up the staircase and disappeared. Hermione and Scarlett were left alone. They exchanged a confused glance. Something had obviously happened while Draco had been away but neither of them could figure out what it was.

"What do you think…?" Hermione asked, knowing Scarlett would understand even if she didn't finish the sentence.

"I don't know" Scarlett mused, raising a finger in the air without seeming to realize she was doing so. Her face was screwed up with obvious concentration and she lowered her voice as if someone might listen. "But…I think Amber-Rose likes him"

"What?" Hermione exclaimed, jumping out of her seat and almost knocking a glass vase off the fireplace. "Amber-Rose? Draco? Where did you get that idea?"

"Well 'Mione, they've known each other for ages, haven't they? And the way she reacted when all the rumours were going around and you guys were denying them and everything. I don't know…I've always suspected it really and I just didn't want to tell you. And now, what with the whole prophecy thing, I think she's just feeling a little stupid"

"She doesn't like him!" Hermione insisted, pacing back and forth past the fireplace. "She can't. She's Amber-Rose…she would have said something before"

"Amber doesn't always say something when she should" Scarlett told her, pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. "When we went to the D.A meeting…she pretending she wouldn't mind being there. I actually think she felt a little uncomfortable. She's more neutral than the good side…actually so am I"

"Oh…" Hermione fell silent and sank back down into her hard armchair with a frown on her face. She couldn't' figure out how this had happened. Everything had been fine. She had been so happy with Draco and he had been happy with her. Then the truth about Singlia and the plan had come out and suddenly Draco was all distant and Scarlett was telling her that Amber-Rose liked him.

"Do you think they're…doing something up there?" Hermione asked, looking at Scarlett and letting her insecurities show in her eyes. The thing was, she was nervous. She had been ever since they had gotten together. It always felt as if the minute some pureblood Slytherin girl came along Draco would leave her. And now she had a greater purpose for being in this relationship. Would Amber-Rose really take all that away?

"No…" Scarlett said, shaking her head. "They would never do that"


	13. Murky Waters

**A/N – I decided Scarlett and Amber-Rose background checks were in order. It's time for you guys to know some things. Can you tell that I created Scarlett but not Amber-Rose? Because I know Scarlett's story so well. Anyway…off you go, time to discover the secrets. **

Draco stood up and exited the room leaving Amber-Rose sitting on his bed surrounded by the boys mess and wondering how on earth Draco had gotten himself into such a dangerous situation. This was a life or death thing, if he didn't go through with this there was no doubt that the Dark Lord was going to kill him. Amber-Rose pulled her legs onto the bed and leaned her back against his pillow, staring around her without really seeing.

Memories floated around in the vast murky waters of her brain, trying to form solid pictures inside her. They were all memories of her past, her fathers past and Draco. She had so many memories of Draco even from the time they were kids. Their fathers had been friends, allied by the Dark Lord's wishes.

Her mind darkened and suddenly she could see the interior of Scarlett's bedroom. The walls were covered with pictures of the two of them and the curtains were open, making her room the lightest area in the house. Right above Scarlett's bed was a picture of a boy of around seventeen—her brother Jake.

On the green bedspread a younger Scarlett and Amber-Rose sat engaged in animated conversation about something that the older Amber-Rose couldn't quite remember. They looked about seven or eight.

The door creaked open and both girls jumped before bursting into fits of laughter as they saw Draco entering. He chuckled along with them and threw himself into the green beanbag beside the door. "Look who it is!" Scarlett exclaimed, grinning. "We didn't think you were coming!"

"It was either come here or stay in the house alone" Draco explained. "And mother didn't really enjoy that idea…not that I would prefer an empty dark house to the two of you but…" he trailed off and shrugged prompting Amber-Rose to throw Scarlett's hair brush at him. It hit him on the arm but he didn't react in pain, instead he threw it right back.

"Does anybody want to know what they're talking about?" Scarlett asked after a few minutes of the hairbrush flying back and forth across her room. She was looking towards her closed door with a curious expression on her face. "I've always wondered but then I was too scared to listen"

"What do you think they're talking about?" Draco asked, raising his eyebrows as if this was obvious. "They're talking about our fathers…that's all they ever talk about"

"But they don't get together specifically to talk about them, do they?" Scarlett asked, looking confused. Amber-Rose and Draco shared a look and Amber-Rose began to explain.

"Notice how they made sure our fathers were busy before they planned to meet up?" she prompted and Scarlett nodded. "Whenever they get together they make sure of that. It's like they want to keep their conversations private. And then they tell us to go to the bedroom and do whatever it is kids do…what else could they be talking about?"

Talking a deep breath, Scarlett jumped off the bed and bounded over to her bedroom door. She reached down and grabbed Draco's hand pulling him up and dragging him out of the door. Amber-Rose followed, not really wishing to be left alone in Scarlett's sunlit bedroom.

Moving as quietly as they could and dodging loose floorboards the three children walked down the hall and towards the staircase. They could already hear voices coming from downstairs in the kitchen and they became clearer as they reached the mouth of the stairs. Draco was now at the front of the line and he stopped the minute they were standing at the top of the stairway and the two girls stopped behind him.

The three woman's voices travelled up to them clearly, all sounding somewhat frantic.

"And they've got it into their heads that the Dark Lord is still alive!" Scarlett's mother, Annabelle said. Scarlett, Amber-Rose and Draco leaned forward, Amber catching Scarlett before she toppled down the stairs.

"Lucius isn't sure…" Narcissa Malfoy mused. "He's considering the idea that the Dark Lord met his downfall. That's what most seem to believe anyhow. He says that it's best to just try and integrate back into the community and try and pretend you've seen the error of your ways"

"Well, Callum seems to think that it would be a betrayal of loyalties. I think he is trying to convince Lucius and Robert to join him in searching the Dark Lord out" Amber's mother, Alicia stated.

"But if they do that they're going to get caught. The Ministry has been capturing past Death Eaters for years. It is still a concern. Our husbands have been lucky to slip under their noses. If they throw that away…" Narcissa said.

"I hate this" Annabelle sounded distraught. "I hate being afraid that there is always that possibility he could be taken away and thrown into Azkaban. Something like that could ruin Scarlett's childhood…and Jake's too" she added the mention of Jake as an afterthought. Amber-Rose noted Scarlett's fists clench.

"We could too though…" Alicia pointed out. "At any moment they could figure out that we were part of it were true"

"No, because the Ministry isn't looking into old cases anymore" Annabelle snapped back. "But if Callum, Robert and Lucius make new cases against themselves then the Ministry has every right to lock them away"

An arm brushed against Amber-Rose's shoulder and she turned to see Scarlett's older brother Jake looking down at them, eyebrows raised. Scarlett and Draco looked up also and quickly motioned for him not to speak. It appeared he didn't understand their charades.

"What are you doing?" he asked, crossing his arms and pretending to look stern. "I thought you guys were supposed to be…"

Scarlett jumped up as high as she could to try and cover his mouth with her hand. Finally he got the picture. He made an O shape with is mouth and nodded. Then he began walking down the stairs and into the lions den.

The girls and Draco didn't wait around to see how Jake's interruption of the meeting turned out. Instead they walked quietly back to Scarlett's room and falling back into their previous positions in silence.

Coming back to herself, the older Amber-Rose began thinking about what Draco had been asked to do. There was almost no doubt in her mind that it would end with him being thrown into Azkaban. But the only other option for him was death…which was worse?

_Maybe I can help him _she decided, nodding her head even though nobody could see. Then she stood up and walked back downstairs to join Hermione and Scarlett.

She found them just as she'd left them, in silence but there was something there upon her entrance. She could almost feel the tension as Hermione looked at her, almost sizing her up. It was an uncomfortable feeling. Even looking at Hermione was uncomfortable under the current circumstances.

Then she looked at Scarlett who was peering at her from underneath her eyelashes. Scarlett, so perfectly innocent—there had been many moments were people, including Amber-Rose, had questioned Scarlett's house placement. But you don't know someone's true capabilities until they are tested. Maybe, if she told Scarlett what was going on, her friend would surprise her.

Because the thing was, Amber-Rose knew that Scarlett was capable of things that she didn't show. Amber had been there in Scarlett's third year when she died her hair black, bitched everybody out and even managed to smuggle some Firewhiskey down at the Hogs Head. Amber-Rose knew that Scarlett could be cunning and that she had a streak of self perseveration that was present in so many Slytherins.

"Do you know what was going on with Draco?" Hermione asked after a few moments, giving Amber-Rose a pleading look. "He came back down a few minutes ago and just walked out of the Common Room. He's not even speaking to me…I don't know why"

A dark look passed over Amber-Rose's face but she shrugged. "He wouldn't tell me anything" she lied smoothly. "But I do need to talk to Scarlett about something. Is that okay, Hermione?"

"Fine" a cold tone entered Hermione's voice and she turned away, her attention shifting to the flames in the fireplace. Amber-Rose sent a look Scarlett's way hoping for some explanation but Scarlett just smiled and walked up the Girls Staircase. Amber-Rose followed her, trying to come up with a short explanation for Draco's predicament in her head.

Hours later Scarlett stood in front of two large magnificent doors feeling even smaller than she already was. As inviting as some people might find the Room of Requirement, to Scarlett it was like a big black hole that sucked all her happiness into it's' depths.

Rooted to her spot, she didn't even move when she heard faint footsteps coming along the corridor. Her longing kept the door visible but she had no real desire to enter it. Moving her head slightly to the side she spotted Hermione headed towards her. Instantly a fire burned in her gut.

"Scarlett, there you are!" Hermione walked faster, smiling. "I've been looking everywhere. You and Amber-Rose just left me there"

Scarlett nodded slowly turning back to stare at the door once again. Hermione followed her eyes. "You know how to use the Room?" she asked, curious. Scarlett nodded again.

"Since I was twelve" she admitted, shaking a little.

"Aren't you going to go in?"

In a matter of seconds Scarlett lost control of herself. Tears began falling down her face and she sank to the ground leaving Hermione thunderstruck. The door disappeared and Hermione knelt down next to her friend and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" she asked and Scarlett continued to cry as if she had been holding this in for a very long time. Her shoulders were shaking and Hermione looked up to where the door had been, her mind immediately trying to figure out what might have been behind it.

Her face tear stained, Scarlett looked up after a few minutes. "Do you remember in our second year…my brother…committed suicide?" she asked, voice breaking at several points. Hermione nodded, wondering where this was going and why it was going there now. "He didn't" Scarlett murmured, her sobs making it hard to figure out what she had said.

When Hermione finally did her eyes grew wide. "What do you mean?" she asked, trying to keep her questions simple. It was probably best to ask them one at a time otherwise she might overwhelm Scarlett.

Taking a deep breath it all began to pour out of Scarlett's mouth for the first time in her life.

"It wasn't him who…killed him, if that makes sense" she stammered. "I saw them…Jake and two seventh years, I'm pretty sure they were sons of Death Eaters, probably family friends." She shuddered with the horror, thinking about how most of the Death Eater families were connected. There was almost no doubt that the murderer's fathers were connected with her family somehow. "It was late and I was being stupidly rebellious and then I just…I saw them and it all looked unsafe so I followed. I don't know what I thought I could do but I followed and they…" she hiccupped "they led me here"

Hermione's eyes widened and she looked at the invisible door. Was Scarlett saying that her brother had been murdered? In the Room of Requirement of all places!

"I followed them in and they were duelling and it was scary and they didn't notice me. Or at least Jake didn't, if the others did then they didn't really care much. But I don't think they did. And they just…they just killed him without even giving it a second thought. They left laughing. I was so scared and I stayed in that room all night. I didn't want to leave him there." The tears were flowing freely down her face and Hermione wrapped her arm around her shaking shoulders. "And then the next day I found out that a suicide note had been written and given to his best friend. Pretty soon everybody believed he had killed himself and his murderer's were gone"

She finished her story and wiped her eyes only to have them fill with tears again. The secret that she had been holding for so long was finally free and as good as if felt it was also hard to relive memories that painful. She could see it all in her head again. The final look of terror on Jake's face as the spell hit him and he realized what was happening, the laughs and smiles that reached his killers eyes. And she remembered lying next to him that night with her head on his chest just wishing his heart would start beating again.

"Why didn't you…tell anyone?" Hermione asked, astonished by what she had just heard.

"I didn't think they'd believe and trust me I didn't want to talk about it. Hagrid started teaching us about Thestrals earlier this year…I didn't even raise my hand when he asked if we could see them"

Scarlett was calming down a little now. As much as the open wounds stung enough time had passed between the incident and now that she had had room to heal a little. As painful as it still was she had moved on and had a life now that didn't totally involve wallowing in sorrow.

"I'm so sorry." Hermione told her, truthfully. "That's so much to happen to someone. It seems with You Know Who around there are a lot of students who have big family dramas"

Scarlett laughed and nodded. "Yeah, maybe living the life of a muggle is less complicated." Hermione just laughed and shook her head.

"Hermione…" Scarlett said, her face turning serious again. A small crease appeared between her eyebrows. "I'm sorry. I lost my brother, I lost Cedric…I almost lost Cordelia…I really don't want to lose anyone else"

"What?" Hermione felt as if she had been left behind in the conversation. Scarlett was talking nonsense. "You're not going to lose anybody else…what are you talking about?"

"Just remember what I just said" Scarlett told her, the crease never disappearing. Then she stood up and began running down the corridor and out of site, her robes flying behind her. Hermione was left in the dust with a blank look on her face. What was Scarlett sorry for?

When the coast was clear Draco had returned to his dormitory and taken a seat on the bed. It seemed Hermione and the girls had disappeared somewhere and now he was free to turn the thought of what he had been asked to do over and over in his mind. It was a matter of following his heart or his head and normally he followed his head, it made the smart decisions.

He had no idea how much time had passed—time in which he had remembered his whole life and thought of what mattered to him most. But when he next looked up he spotted two figures in the doorway. By their difference in height he could tell who they were. Amber-Rose and Scarlett were back. What did they have to say to him?

They seemed to be waiting for some sort of acknowledgment and so he nodded and they immediately walked into the room. Amber-Rose sat on the side of the bed and Scarlett scrambled over and pushed him to the side a little to make room against the pillow.

"What do you two want?" he asked and his voice was quiet. He hadn't been speaking for several hours. Being alone in his thoughts had been better. Now he didn't know what to say. Had Amber-Rose told Scarlett what was going on? It seemed so, Scar was looking at him in a strange way.

"We want to help" Scarlett told him, giving him a quick hug that he didn't return. "We want to help you with this…thing you have to do. Both of us"

"We can all work it out together. You don't even have to tell the Dark Lord that we're helping. Take all the credit…but dying because you couldn't perform his task isn't worth it. Don't sacrifice yourself" Amber-Rose said, insistent.

"How do you know I've made up my mind that I'm going to do it?" he said, trying to pretend he was still thinking. "Maybe I'm going to…"

"Draco…you're a Slytherin too" Scarlett said, rolling her eyes. "It's what we do. We are much more cautious about who we help. We're not going to die for people, not unless we really care about them."

"Maybe I…" Draco tried to speak again.

"No, not like we care about you" Amber-Rose anticipated his words. "We've all been together for a long time. We're not going to let you die. Okay?"

Draco pondered this for a few minutes. They would help him. If he didn't do this then the Dark Lord would kill him. He didn't want to die. He was young and had his whole life ahead of him. If he didn't do this then he would disappoint his father and everybody depending on him. He had to. He could see no other option. He was terrified of dying; he couldn't choose the other option.

"Okay" he agreed and Scarlett gave him another hug.


	14. A Moment Like This

**A/N – Here we go, we're getting to the final countdown! Read on and you will get a bit more action. 3 I'm so excited to finish this Fanfiction!**

Everything began moving extremely quickly. Hermione found herself almost always in the company of Scarlett, Amber-Rose or Draco and Draco seemed to have sorted his issues. In fact he was livelier than ever. He seemed to be forever planning something new for them to do together or surprising her with every little bit of romance he produced.

Of course she still found her brain working over time from all the strange little moments. She was still turning Scarlett's cryptic apology around in her head and her confusion became stronger when one day Amber-Rose asked her how Harry Potter never seemed to get in trouble when coming back from D.A meetings. Hermione, thinking nothing of it at the time, explained the Marauders Map. But later she wondered what might have possessed Amber-Rose to ask such a question.

To Hermione's surprise Scarlett seemed to have become less giggly. She had come to the conclusion that Scarlett's hyperactive-ness was just her hiding from the pain in her memories. She had expected, now that the memories had been renewed in Scarlett's mind that she would be even bubblier than ever but now she was just quiet. There were moments when she said something that seemed too cynical for her personality.

One day Hermione was heading to her Ancient Runes class when Draco intercepted her, kissing her in the middle of the hallway causing several heads to turn. Hermione, feeling a little uncomfortable, pulled away after a few seconds and stared at him. He had a big smile on his face which actually seemed almost forced.

"Meet me tonight" he told her in a whisper. "Meet outside the statue thing of the One Eyed Witch." At those words Hermione remembered the conversation with Amber-Rose about the Marauders Map but she pushed it from her mind.

"What are we doing?" she asked and they began walking towards her classroom together. "Do you know about the secret passageway?"

"Uh…yes" Draco said, shrugging. "My father knew about it in school, he told me. But I think we might not be disturbed if we get out of the castle." Hermione nodded slowly. Was he lying to her? She could never tell.

"Right, okay then" Hermione agreed, curious despite her better judgement. "I'll be there"

"7:30" Draco called as he began running in the opposite direction. Hermione turned to see Amber-Rose standing there and suddenly her spirit sank.

She remembered what Scarlett had told her about Amber-Rose liking Draco. Was he acting so strange because he was trying to hide something? Were Amber-Rose and Draco sneaking around behind her back? The thought chilled her to the bone and she could barely focus on her class. She translated everything wrong and the teacher told her she was very disappointed but that it might have to do with stress as the exams were coming up. Hermione agreed, not wanting to talk about it.

"Hermione!' she turned as she walked out of her class to see Harry rushing towards her, his face white. "Hermione, I have to talk to you"

This was surprising. Harry hadn't wanted to talk to her since she had betrayed him and Ron. In fact they hadn't even said two words to each other. What could he have to say to her now that they were practically living in two different worlds? It was in that moment that Hermione realized she missed the Gryffindor world. Drama hadn't been so superficial there. It hadn't been all about boys. She didn't worry that she was being cheated on. And when she was in Gryffindor there were no prophecies about her and she didn't have to keep somebody from joining the dark side.

"Harry?" she stared at him as he came to a stop in front of her. "You have to talk to me? About what?" Harry just shook his head and pulled her down the hall and around a corner. They climbed stairs and dodged people until they reached a deserted corridor. There Harry began to speak.

"The map is missing" he told her.

"The Marauders Map?" Hermione asked and Harry nodded. A chill ran through Hermione's body as her conversation with Amber-Rose came back to her. "Do you think it was stolen?"

"Well, the room was ransacked" Harry explained. "But it could only be a Gryffindor who is in the D.A. They are the only ones who know the map exists and can get into the Gryffindor dormitories unless…" he trailed off and Hermione thought she knew what he was about to ask. "Have you told anybody about it?"

Hermione blushed. "Well…yes, I told Amber-Rose. But…"

"But? You told somebody? I was going to ask but I never thought you would say yes" Harry exclaimed, glaring at her. "Why would you tell her?"

"You can't honestly think Amber-Rose stole it. She can't get into Gryffindor tower. Look, I'm sorry Harry but you're blowing this out of proportion. In fact, you and Ron are blowing everything out of proportion. We haven't spoken in months and…I miss you"

"I miss you too" Harry said quietly and Hermione smiled.

"Please don't think Amber-Rose did anything. I don't know who did it but it wasn't her. I don't even know the Gryffindor password anymore, none of us Slytherins can get in"

"Right" Harry agreed and began to turn away. After a few seconds however he turned back. "And the password is Pudding…just in case you ever need it"

"Pudding?" Hermione asked, failing to hide a laugh. Harry laughed too. Then he turned and walked away. Hermione smiled to herself.

After dinner Hermione entered the Common Room. In the corner by the fire once again sat Scarlett and Amber-Rose deep in whispered conversation. Hermione headed over to them and was rather surprised when the minute she got within hearing distance they stopped abruptly and turned towards her.

"Draco told us to tell you to meet him inside the statue" Amber-Rose told her. "You know how to get in and everything, right?"

"Wait, you two know about the passageway too?" Hermione asked. "I thought nobody knew…aside from Harry, Ron and I"

"Well, you were mistaken" Scarlett said, sucking on a Sugar Quill. She picked up the bag and offered it to Hermione who took one and sat down in her own armchair. This area was becoming a pretty regular meeting place for their group. The only person missing was Draco. Maybe he was planning things for that night.

The three girls talked about classes and what was going on with the other Slytherins until Hermione noticed Amber-Rose nudge Scarlett a little. It appeared she was trying to be subtle. Then a look that Hermione couldn't quite place passed over Scarlett's face and she stood up.

"We have to go" she said, quickly bending down and giving Hermione a stiff hug. "We have some studying to do. If we don't do it now we never will, you know?" Amber-Rose nodded in agreement but she rolled her eyes at the same time. Hermione just looked confused. "Bye" Scarlett said, before fast walking to the exit and leaving.

Amber-Rose smiled a little. "See ya" she said, turning to follow Scarlett out.

And now Hermione was alone again wondering how on earth she could have chosen such strange friends. She looked up at the big magically charmed clock in the Common Room and saw that it was 7:25—nearly time for her to go meet Draco. Deciding it would be best to give herself time to get there she stood up and exited herself. It was kind of odd that Amber-Rose and Scarlett had left only a few minutes before she was meeting Draco….but everything was strange lately.

She reached the One Eyed Witch without much interruption. The statue had always creeped her out a little and she remembered the disapproval she had felt when Harry had began using the passageway to get in and out to Hogsmeade. Now she was being just as rebellious. Maybe instead of her being a good influence on Draco he was just a bad influence on her.

Quickly she wracked her brain trying to remember how you got into the statue. "Dissendium" she remembered, tapping it with her wand. It opened up and tentatively she dropped inside.

When she landed she found she couldn't see a thing. The passage was completely dark. She had no idea if Draco was here yet. Feeling a little nervous she found a wall and leaned against it, deciding it would be good to wait.

"Lumos" Draco's voice floated out of the darkness and as his wand ignited she saw his face. It was twisted up and he looked as if he was struggling with something. It's intensity scared her and she jumped away from the wall.

"Lumos"

"Lumos"

Two more voices she recognized spoke and suddenly she saw Scarlett and Amber-Rose standing behind Draco. They were making a sort of triangle blocking the rest of the passageway. Scarlett and Amber's faces were seat, stone cold compared with Draco's. What was going on?

"Expelliarmus" Amber-Rose said, and Hermione realized she had fished her wand out of her pocket. It went flying to the floor and Amber-Rose picked it up, smiling.

The fluttery feeling she always got when she was working with Harry to try and stop Voldermort came back. She was taken back to her third year with the time turner and the never halting action. The feeling of the butterflies floating around in her stomach made her sick. She felt in danger, but she couldn't be!

"What's going on?" she asked and her voice came out in a whisper. She hadn't realized that she was shaking and she hid her hands behind her back wishing her nerves would end. "I thought…"

"You thought Amber and I were going to study?" Scarlett asked, still staying rooted to her spot in their makeshift triangle. "Haven't you noticed that she and I have been studying a lot lately?" Hermione bit her lip but didn't speak.

"Where did you think we were going?" Amber-Rose asked her wand moving from hand to hand as she spoke. "Not to mention…I know that Harry Potter told you his precious Marauders Map got taken…weren't you suspicious? Did you not for one second consider that I managed to get the Gryffindor password and take it from his room?"

"Did you?" Hermione asked, her mouth dropping open. "How?"

"You truly are a Gryffindor" Amber-Rose rolled her eyes and laughed scornfully. "It didn't even cross your mind that I might have ways of convincing other Gryffindor students to give me the password"

"You don't mean…"

"The Imperius Curse? Yeah…I do mean that" Amber-Rose laughed again. "Trust me; it's easy once you get the hang of it. I can't remember the boys name…Colin something or other"

"Why would you do this?" Hermione asked, her eyes travelling to Draco at his place at the front. "I don't understand"

Draco's face wasn't screwed up anymore but he looked miserable like he was being forced into something. Maybe he was. He raised his wand towards her and held it there, his hand shaking.

"Please, you have to understand" he said, sounding on the verge of tears. Hermione had never seen Draco cry before and she didn't really want to. It was almost like seeing your father cry. "I have to do this"

"Do what?" Hermione exclaimed, beginning to cry herself. "What do you have to do? What's going on?"

"I have to kill you" he almost whispered, one tear escaping from the corner of his eye. He swiped at his face to get rid of it angrily.

Hermione found herself breaking down the tears coming faster and faster. She looked at Scarlett, remembering her break down from a few days before. Now she was cold faced and silent.

"And you're helping? You're a part of this?" she addressed Scarlett directly. "After everything you've been through with your brother you're going to be just like his murderer's."

"Look, I apologized" Scarlett snapped. "I told you why. I'm not losing Draco; he's one of my best friends. If you think I would let the Dark Lord kill him then you're crazy. This is the only way"

"Just do it, Draco" Amber-Rose commanded holding her wand out in much the same way he was. Scarlett mimicked the movement and walked past Hermione to stand behind her obviously to stop her from trying to make a break for it.


	15. Dreams In Which I'm Dying

**A/N – This chapter is…pretty dramatic. I kind of feel as if my writing is getting worse though. I'm sorry about that, I just thought I'd mention that. I do love the drama of all of this though, I really hope you all enjoy it.**

"_Just do it, Draco" _

Harry Potter woke up from his dream shaking and covered with cold sweat. It was another one, a dream where he knew he was in Voldermort's head. He knew it was from the eyes of the snake once again and now that he knew why it wasn't quite so terrifying that he had been the snake.

But what was terrifying was the nature of it. Hermione was there surrounded by people who were planning to kill her. Now Harry knew where his map had gone and he also knew that Hermione was in danger. His head was spinning. The snake had been hidden. If Malfoy couldn't perform his task then Voldermort possessing the snake would probably do it for him.

After a few minutes of head spinning and getting his thoughts together Harry leapt out of bed and ran over to shake Ron. As angry as Ron was with Hermione he would forget it all if he knew what was happening. Ron mumbled in his sleep as Harry shook him prompting Harry to shake harder until Ron awoke.

"What?" Ron grumbled, trying to hide his face in his pillow. "What do you want Harry?"

"Hermione, she's in trouble!" Harry told him. The minute Ron heard those words he looked up, seemingly wide awake. "She's down in the passage from the One Eyed Witch with Malfoy and her two new best friends." Ron rolled his eyes. "I just dreamed about it. Apparently they have to kill her. Voldermort's there as the snake but Hermione doesn't know…it'll take too long to explain. We have to go"

Ron didn't need to be asked twice. He jumped out of bed and ran towards the door still dressed in his pyjamas. Harry decided it would be best to just follow his lead and scurried along behind him. They ran along corridors without speaking, not even caring if they got caught. They had to get there in time.

"Please, don't do this" Hermione pleaded, staring at Draco as he stood in front of her with his arm outstretched, holding the wand.

"Look, if you're looking for someone to blame and trust me when I say I was, then blame Professor Singlia and her fucking sister." Hermione's eyes widened in surprise. "They prophesized about us and you bringing me to the light side and preventing the Dark Lord's plans and the Dark Lord found out. He wants to prevent it so…I have to kill you…or he's going to kill me"

"Do it!" Scarlett insisted, gripping her wand tightly in her hand. "Get it done, Draco"

"Come on!" Amber-Rose egged him on as she walked to join Scarlett behind the action.

There was a collective intake of breath as Draco raised his wand higher and Hermione's tears stopped as if someone had pushed pause on a scene. Everything was frozen except Draco's shaking hand. It was so still and so quiet that they all heard the sound of footsteps running down the passage towards them. Scarlett and Amber-Rose swung around on their heels and pointed their wands towards the intruders. Hermione turned to look too and her eyes widened as she spotted Harry and Ron in the wand light.

"HERMIONE!" Ron screamed and he tried desperately to push past Scarlett and Amber-Rose to get to her. "Let her go!" he yelled at Draco as Amber-Rose warded him off.

"I can't Weasley" Draco said, his voice turning harsh and spiteful.

"The Dark Lord will kill him if he doesn't kill her" Amber-Rose snapped. "You wouldn't understand, how could you?"

"Yeah, well…" Ron glared at her and Scarlett in turn. "There are some people who would die for the people they love. Harry's mother did!" The he spoke in a quiet voice. "I would"

"I'm sure you would" Draco rolled his eyes. "You have no idea what this feels like"

"STUPERFY" Scarlett and Amber-Rose exclaimed at the same time. Hermione had been trying to make a break for it while Draco was distracted. At the force of the spells she collapsed to the ground, stunned.

"Expelliarmus" Harry swung around and pointed his wand at Amber-Rose, deciding she was possibly the biggest threat. Ron did the same to Scarlett. Ron was kneeling on the ground next to Hermione, every now and then looking up and glaring at the two girls who had stunned her.

Quickly Amber-Rose and Scarlett hurried back to stand behind Draco. Amber-Rose's fists were balled and Scarlett was looking at the floor. Now Harry was facing Draco and both of them had their wands pointing towards the other.

"I'm not even going to ask for an explanation" Harry snapped, eyes narrowed. "I'm sure you have a perfectly pathetic explanation for trying to kill our best friend-"

"Your best friend?" Draco scoffed. "You two have refused to speak to her for months. You didn't give a shit that she was happy, as long as she was with me she was your deadly enemy"

On the floor beside Hermione Ron's ears turned red.

"That's not the point!" Harry gripped his wand tighter. "Now you're my deadly enemy and there's no way I'm going to let you kill her." Draco slowly turned his wand towards Hermione and Harry's eyes turned to slits.

"For fucks sake, just do it!" Amber-Rose yelled. "Or I'll do it for you!"

A small hiss came from the ground behind Scarlett and everybody looked around the passageway to figure out where it was coming from. Harry just stood there, knowing what had made that noise. Apparently Voldermort didn't like the idea of Amber-Rose doing Draco's task for him. But the Slytherins needn't know that Voldermort was in the room.

Finally deciding that they had just been hearing things the three Slytherins turned back to face Harry, Draco pointing his wand at Hermione once again.

His breath catching in his throat Harry looked down at Ron and Hermione. Then he smiled a little, trying to keep it subtle. Ron had his wand behind his back, trying to make it look as if he had no defences. It was all coming down to this moment. The D.A was actually going to help at last. Whatever it was Ron was planning to do there was no doubt he could do it.

"AVAD-" Harry turned at the beginnings of the spell, placing his attention back where it was needed. He had to stop himself from doing anything, Ron could handle this. His hands were sweaty and his chest was tight.

"LEVICORPUS" Ron yelled before Draco could even finish his spell. Everybody in the room watched in amazement as Draco looked like the wind had been knocked out of him and suddenly he had been flipped upside down, hung in the air by his ankle.

"LET ME DOWN!" he screamed and Amber-Rose and Scarlett stood on, helpless without their wands. It took them a moment to notice that Ron had Hermione in his arms and was running back down the passage with her, Harry following behind. They began to run after them but it was too late. Ron had handed Hermione to Harry and he had climbed up the exit. Then Harry managed to pass Hermione up to him and climbed up himself.

"Fuck!" Amber-Rose cursed.

"Do you think she'll be alright?" Ron asked as he and Harry stumbled along with Hermione held between them. They were both still shaking from the experience and weren't completely sure what to do with themselves.

"I don't know. We might have to take her to the Hospital Wing. Maybe more than one stunner is worth being looked at" Harry suggested. They didn't have much time to consider the idea for they ran into Professor Singlia a few seconds later.

"What?" was all she could manage to say when she saw Hermione. It was sure to be a strange sight. Two teenage boys running along with an unconscious girl held between them. "What…happened?" she asked, finding her voice.

"Hermione…Malfoy…stunned…almost killed" Ron tried to explain but running with Hermione's weight had started to become a strain and now that they had stopped he was catching his breath.

"Draco? What does Draco have to do with this?" Singlia asked, her face falling. She could tell that something had gone totally wrong and it was obvious to do with Dumbledore's plan. How could Dumbledore's plan lead them to this?

"What does have to do with…?" Harry began shaking his head, irritated. "He did this! Your precious Draco tried to kill Hermione! In fact…he almost did"

"He didn't! He wouldn't! Why?" Singlia put her hand to her forehead, suddenly feeling faint. Draco had tried to kill Hermione! The idea was laughable, it must be a joke. It had to be.

"Well…" Harry began, just as heatedly. Then he stopped. "Well, I don't actually know." Then he continued, seeing Singlia's look. "But, I mean…there wasn't time to ask was there? He was going to kill her! This isn't one of those muggle cartoons where the villains stop to gloat about their big evil plan"

Singlia shook her head, moving towards the wall and collapsing against it. "But Draco isn't the villain" she exclaimed, desperately. "He was going to be the hero, that was the plan…Hermione was supposed to help him. I don't understand why he would try to kill her"

"Maybe because his Lord told him to" Ron suggested, having finally gotten his breath back.

"Exactly!" Harry agreed. "I mean, Voldermort was there!"

"Wait…excuse me?" Singlia shot back to life and stared at Harry, dumbstruck. "Where was this exactly? Not…in the school"

"Yes, in the school…do you think we…? Oh, never mind" Harry rolled his eyes. "It happened in a secret passageway in the One Eyed Witch statue. They're probably still down there…we have Scarlett and Amber-Rose's wands"

"He Who Must Not Be Named is…in this school?" Singlia looked faint again but this time it was worse. She looked as if she was about to pass out. "Okay, well…whatever is actually going on we need to make a plan. I will go back and check the passageway to see if they're still there. I'm not afraid of…of…Voldermort" she stood up and gulped. "And you two take Hermione to the Hospital Wing. Tell Poppy I sent you"

And with that she was off, running in the direction Harry and Ron and come from. Sharing a half nervous, half amused look Harry and Ron began moving forward again.

"She should be fine" Madam Pomfrey confirmed, looking harassed. "I do wish you would explain what happened. Are you sure Professor Singlia said you couldn't tell me?"

"Positive" Harry nodded. He and Madam Pomfrey looked over to Hermione's bed where she was lying. Madam Pomfrey had performed the counter curse and Hermione had awoken but she didn't appear to have much of an idea where she was. Madam Pomfrey had forced some sort of sleep potion down her throat and now she was perfectly silent, hardly moving. Ron was sitting beside the bed, he hadn't moved for a good half an hour.

"Alright, well…she'll wake up when she's ready. I have to fill out some paperwork for the records. If you need me, well…just try not to need me"

Harry walked over to the bed and sat down in the chair on the opposite side to Ron. Ron looked up at him, his eyes hollow. "Why is it never me?" he asked, sounding as if he was struggling with something.

"What?" Harry asked, feeling a little confused.

"If anybody ends up in the Hospital Wing or hurt…it's always you or Hermione, never me!" Ron explained, shaking his head.

Harry thought for a moment. "That's not true" he said, trying to be comforting. "Remember? After we found Sirius when we thought he was trying to kill me. You didn't help us save him because of that." That seemed to cheer Ron up a little.

"Do you think that maybe…if we had just tried staying friends with her…maybe this wouldn't have happened?" Ron suggested a few minutes later.

"No…" Harry had been lost in his thoughts previously but he answered fairly quickly. "Singlia seemed to know what it was about somehow and I just kind of got the feeling that we really had nothing to do with it. It probably would have happened either way"

"No, don't! Please!" The two boys instantly looked at Hermione once again. A little colour had come back into her pale face and she was moving, talking in her sleep.

"'Mione?" Harry asked, reaching out and shaking her shoulder a little.

Much to his surprise she snapped up instantly, sitting up in the bed and looking around. Her eyes were frantic and she seemed to be trying to find something. Then her eyes settled on Ron and she settled back onto the pillow, seeming confused.

"Ron?" she asked, her face showing signs that she was trying to piece things together. "Where's Draco? Scarlett? Amber…? What am I dong here?"

"So you remember Malfoy trying to kill you?" It was comforting to Harry that they didn't have to explain everything. Hermione nodded slowly and took a deep breath covering her face with her hands.

"I'm so stupid!" she exclaimed, sounding very frustrated with herself. "I can't believe I trusted him! I can't believe I let myself into that. And…why didn't I listen to you two? Why didn't I think that Amber-Rose could have stolen the Marauders Map? I can't believe it!"

Harry and Ron looked at each other unsure of what to say. So Amber-Rose had stolen the Marauders Map. That explained how they knew about that passageway. "You're not stupid" Ron said, breaking the small silence that followed Hermione's outburst.

"He tried to kill me…because if he didn't…You Know Who was going to kill him." Hermione dropped her hands from her face and looked at her two friends. "Somebody told You Know Who about the prophecy and…he wanted to stop it"

Now Harry and Ron were very confused. "The prophecy?" Harry wondered allowed and Hermione spent the next fifteen minutes explaining everything they had missed. The entire time the two boys remained silent, they couldn't find anything to say. They had had no idea that Hermione had been going through this and it almost made them feel worse for not speaking to her.

There was a clatter and the group turned to see Professor Singlia looking very dishevelled standing in the doorway. Her eyes were wild and she looked terrified.

"They're gone!" she told them, clambering into the room and collapsing onto one of the beds. "I looked everywhere. I checked their Common Room, Hogsmeade…I didn't know where they could possibly be. I suppose they were taken with…with He Who Must Not Be Named. But…I don't know where. I know what my sister is going to say. She's going to say that this is what happens when you listen to Dumbledore and go against a prophecy. Maybe she's right…"

"Wait, You Know Who was…he was there? How could they have gone with him?" Hermione asked, blinking rapidly.

"He was there…he can possess his snake" Harry explained. "He was watching you the entire time. I guess he's whisked them off somewhere"

"But he's going to kill him!" Hermione jolted up in her bed, shaking. "He's going to kill Draco! We can't…he can't…"

"The bloke tried to kill you…" Ron said slowly. "And you still want to save him?"

Hermione just shot him a look and then turned away, beginning to climb out of bed. "No, Hermione…you can't" Harry said, grabbing her by the shoulders and making her sit down. "Ron's right…Malfo…Draco tried to kill you. You don't owe him anything and you can't, it could get you really killed"

"It doesn't change the fact that I still care!" Hermione yelled, bringing Madam Pomfrey rushing back into the room. Her jaw dropped when she saw the scene before her.

"Do you people have no sense?" she asked raising her arms and glaring around at them all. "How many times do I have to tell everybody not to disturb my patients? Miss. Granger doesn't need anymore excitement tonight. Nor does she really need visitors"

"I'm fine!" Hermione insisted. "I can go, it was just…it was nothing. I'm fine"

"Out!" Madam Pomfrey commanded, pointing at the door. "All of you—including you Shaylene—get out!"

Singlia was the first to stand. "We'll be back in the morning" she promised Hermione and then turned away before she could see Hermione's pleading glance. She motioned to Harry and Ron and they had to follow, muttering their goodbyes to Hermione as they left.

Left completely alone, aside from Madam Pomfrey and Hermione didn't really count her, Hermione slumped back against her pillow. She couldn't leave Draco, she had to do something.


	16. Shadows

"Bloody hell…she loves him!" Ron exclaimed as he and Harry took seats in the Common Room, still feeling too restless to go upstairs to sleep. Ron had been muttering about Hermione and Malfoy all the way to Gryffindor Tower and Harry and tried to keep quiet and just let him rant but now he figured it was time to interject.

"She didn't say that" he pointed out, looking over at the dying fire and suddenly feeling too exhausted to even attempt to light it again. The two of them slipped into chairs across from each other and Ron rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, but come on Harry…she wanted to go and save him for You Know Who! He tried to kill her but she still didn't want him to die!"

"She would do the same for you" Harry pointed out, shrugging. "You know she would"

"But that's different isn't it? That's friend love; she would do that for anybody. And besides, I don't care about her like that!" Harry rolled his eyes but refrained from saying anything. Instead his eyes turned back to the fire and he watched it go down, down until it was dead.

"Do you think we should…?" he let the unfinished question hang in the air, knowing that Ron would know what he meant. The two of them were probably thinking the same thing. They had deserted Hermione over her choice of friends and relationship. And now if they didn't help her maybe she would desert them. They couldn't loose her again. They just had to let her be happy.

"Maybe" Ron sighed, knowing he would regret his words later. "But not tonight, I can't handle anything more tonight and neither can Hermione."

"I know" Harry nodded and finally they hauled themselves up to bed, falling into sleep immediately. Harry found that his sleep was dreamless, much to his relief.

"Good morning, Miss. Granger!" Madam Pomfrey's voice boomed into Hermione's dreams. She had been dreaming of her and Draco. It hadn't really been a solid dream, more flashes than anything else. But it had been happy and she was in no hurry to wake up from it. She groaned, rolling over and hoping the woman would just go away.

"Miss. Granger…you have visitors" Madam Pomfrey tried again and Hermione's eyes flashed open and she sat up.

"I'm awake" she said and at the doorway she saw Harry and Ron. They were looking pained and she wondered what she had missed. They entered the room and Madam Pomfrey told them they had half an hour. They simply nodded and waited silently for her to leave.

When she was gone and they were all alone they turned to Hermione. "We've decided we're going to help you. We'll go and we'll help Malfoy if that's really what you want"

Face breaking into a big smile, Hermione jumped out of bed and ran to hug the two of them. It felt like this is how it should have been when she and Draco first got together. It was so great to know that her friends would help and be supportive. Except…

"But he's probably dead!" she realized, trying to keep her voice down so Madam Pomfrey couldn't hear her. "We'll be too late. It's been hours!"

"We thought about that" Ron told her, smiling at her panic stricken face. "But it really hasn't been all that long and we figure well, You Know Who might have a whole lecture prepared and then maybe he'll like…play with Malfoy a bit"

Hermione gave him a confused look.

"No, not like…well, I mean…he might go for the torture for a little while. He did that to Harry last year, didn't he? We don't really know how You Know Who thinks. We might have a chance"

"We also thought that he might be waiting to see if you turn up…" Harry said quietly. "You know, because he'll realize that you're going to want to help Malfoy. Maybe he wants to kill you himself"

"Don't tell her that!" Ron punched Harry on the arm and turned to Hermione. "That's not going to happen. We're just saying that there might be a possibility. If you're happy with a jerk like Malfoy and you want to help him then we're going to be optimistic for you"

Hermione flung her arms around him once again and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. He blushed scarlet and looked down at the floor.

Then before either of the boys could stop her Hermione had run for the door and she was through it long before Madam Pomfrey noticed that the room was empty. Harry and Ron followed her and they all began running out towards the Entrance Courtyard.

"Okay, now…" Harry began.

"Harry? Ron? Hermione?" Ginny Weasley was walking towards them. Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom were trailing behind. As curious as he was to know how this particular group had ended up together, Harry didn't have time.

"I thought you weren't talking to Hermione, Harry…" Luna said, vague curiosity evident in her tone.

"What are you doing?" Neville asked, looking at the three of them. They had been huddled together in a corner of the Entrance Courtyard and must have been looking suspicious.

"No time, Neville" Harry told him. "We've got something to do'

"What is it?" Ginny asked, crossing her arms. "Maybe we can help. Does it involve bringing down Umbridge?"

"No, nothing like that" Harry rolled his eyes, they were never going to take them seriously if he told them what they were actually about to do. "We're just…Malfoy's in trouble"

"Draco Malfoy you mean?" Luna asked, everybody ignored her.

"Hermione wants to help him and we decided that it's about time we showed some support so…here we are."

"But there's not enough time to explain the rest" Hermione said, frantically. "We have to go. We don't even know where he is or how we're going to get there"

"Malfoy Manor!" another figure was running towards them. They all turned to look and saw Cordelia Gold, Scarlett and Amber-Rose's friend who had been Cedric Diggory's girlfriend once upon a time. "I just got a letter from my mother. Apparently Draco's father contacted her and they're at Malfoy Manor. I don't know when the letter was written but…I assume you want to help him Hermione"

"You're timing is rather perfect you know" Luna piped up.

"Thank you!" Hermione gave Cordelia a hug which rather surprised everybody. Then she turned back to the group which Cordelia joined without asking if she was welcome. "But we still don't know how to get there"

"We fly of course!" Luna said as if it was the obvious solution. Everybody looked at her at last but they were looks of irritation.

"We can't fly!" Harry snapped. "We only have one broom and besides, we don't need everybody to come. This is just Ron, Hermione and I…you're not coming"

"Well, that's rather rude" Luna commented, still smiling serenely. "And I didn't mean on broomsticks. What about the Thestrals?"

And with a bit of arguing and confusion it became clear the Thestrals were the best option. The group travelled down to the Forbidden Forest trying their best not to get seen and stopped. They managed to find the Thestrals and Harry began helping Ron and Hermione to mount them. More problems broke out when the other four began mounting.

"Excuse me? I thought we'd decided it was just Hermione, Ron and me" Harry told them snappishly. Cordelia turned and gave him a withering look.

"Draco's my friend; I care about him ten times more than you do which isn't hard. Besides, this isn't your rescue mission. You have no say on who goes and who stays. Everybody wants to help, you need all the help you can get so just shut up and stop wasting time"

Harry was stunned into silence but Hermione agreed.

"I really don't mind Harry…actually I want them coming. It'll mean we have a better chance." Cordelia nodded along with Hermione and turned away. "Fine" Harry muttered and they set off.

"I know a window we can get in by" Cordelia said as they stood in front of the Malfoy's Manor. It was huge, Harry and never seen anything quite like it. Luna was simply staring at the Thestral she had set loose. It was still standing beside her.

Hermione however was listening intently to any advice Cordelia had and as she moved around to the back of the mansion Hermione followed close behind. Everybody stared as Cordelia began climbing expertly up the drainage towards the second floor window until she snapped at them to follow her. Hermione did so immediately and the rest slowly followed.

When they reached the ground inside the house they found themselves in a bedroom. It was grand with hangs over the bed and Slytherin colours. Every corner was expertly cleaned, undoubtedly by a House Elf and there was no doubt in anybody's mind that it was Draco's bedroom. Cordelia took the lead once again as she actually knew the house and led them out onto the landing.

"We might want to move quietly…especially if Voldermort's here" she hissed and everybody nodded in agreement.

They climbed down the staircase and were surprised to find that everything was silent. They continued to move cautiously but no sound greeted them. Then they reached the door to the Living Room and suddenly…

"CORDELIA? HERMIONE?" Scarlett's astonished squeals told them that two people at least were in the house. Scarlett jumped up and rushed towards them, blocking their view on the room. She didn't even act surprised to see the Gryffindors. Although nobody really got a chance to see how she was acting for she was moving fast and her face was hidden behind several cuts and bruises. "You can't go in there, just don't go in there." Her voice cracked and she pushed them out of the room.

"Why not?" Hermione asked, suddenly getting a nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach. Scarlett didn't respond, but the look she sent towards Cordelia was enough to confirm Hermione's fears.

"No!" Hermione exclaimed and her voice was loud enough to bring Amber-Rose walking slowly into the room. She looked like a ghost, completely white and drifting as if she was unsure of where she was going. Now it felt as if Harry, Ron, Luna, Neville and Ginny had completely disappeared from the room. The grief was shared between the four Slytherin girls.

Biting her lip, Scarlett nodded her head and jumped to stop Hermione from running right into the room. She was too slow and the rest of the group slowly followed Hermione's progress towards the middle of the Living Room.

There it was…there he was. The room was completely empty otherwise. Now that Hermione thought about it, there were cuts and bruises on Scarlett and Amber-Rose's faces also. But it was nothing like this. Apart from being obviously hurt Draco was laying absolutely still, no sign of life in his body at all.

It was at that moment that everything came crashing down. Hermione had been hanging on by a thread. First she had discovered the prophecy, then Draco had attempted to kill her and now here he was, completely still. The tears came too fast for her to blink them back and she sank to the ground beside him.

Amber-Rose and Scarlett knelt beside her and Cordelia just stood there, frozen with shock. The Gryffindors and Luna all suddenly felt very out of place, like they shouldn't be intruding on this. Ron and Harry shared a 'should we feel bad that we don't care that much?' kind of look.

It was a few minutes before Hermione could speak again. The minute she felt the tears subside she jumped to her feet and looked around, her eyes falling on Amber-Rose and Scarlett first. She had some issues to discuss with them.

"You two were helping him!" she screamed, fists clenched and face livid. "Why would you-"

"Because we didn't want this to happen!" Amber-Rose screamed back, shaking her head in disbelief. "Honestly, are you really that stupid? This happened because he didn't kill you, because your stupid friends jumped in to save you. You could have died and that would have saved his life…now how do you feel?"

"I…" Hermione was silenced and she truly couldn't figure out what to say. She searched her mind for something else to yell about, it was better than hurt. "But…" however, she couldn't seem to find anything. So instead she asked. "Where are his parents?"

"They're…not here" Scarlett muttered. "He took them. I think he had some issues to…erm…discuss with them. I'm sure they'll be…okay"

"Hermione…" Harry finally spoke, taking her arm and guiding her out of the room. It probably wasn't helping anyone sharing a room with a dead body. "Maybe we should go, get back to school" he suggested quietly.

"Scarlett! Amber-Rose!" a woman appeared a little way away from them. She was rushing forwards towards the two battered girls standing in the doorway of the Living Room. She was short, only a little taller than Scarlett with shoulder length blonde, wavy hair. It was instantly obvious that she was Scarlett's mother. "And…everybody else?" she looked around, confused by the company.

Nobody responded to her. Instead Scarlett just rushed forwards and threw her arms around her.

"Hermione?" Harry prompted once again. "Back to school?"

"Don't be ridiculous!" Scarlett's mother shook her head, Scarlett still in her arms. "I'm taking Amber-Rose and Scarlett back to our house. You're all welcome to come, I can contact Professor Dumbledore…and Professor Umbridge for good measure"

Scarlett's turned her face so it wasn't hidden in her mother's chest and nodded. "Yes, come!" she said, sounding as enthusiastic as she could. "All of you…" she added.

"Right then, it's settled" Scarlett's mother seemed to be trying not to mention the devastation that had just occurred. Draco had been like a son to her, one her husband had actually been proud of unlike their previously deceased son.

Too emotionally exhausted to argue, the Gryffindors, Luna and Cordelia all nodded in agreement and followed Scarlett and her mother back towards the door. The entire group was silent, the emotional strain from what had just happening had affected them all in one way or another and nobody knew quite what to say.


	17. Hugs and Friendships

**A/N – I only just realized that I didn't put an authors note on the last chapter. That was probably best since it was a very…dramatic chapter and me going on and on about reviews and shit might have ruined that. But to answer everybody's questions…yes, I killed Draco. Or rather the Dark Lord killed Draco and I apologize for the tears everybody says almost happened. I'm glad you have gotten so emotionally invested in my story, I am continuing for a few more chapters so I hope you stay with me. I love you all. **

It took only a few minutes for the entire party to travel through the Floo Network to get the Maddoxes house. When they arrived they were greeted by a dark living room. All the curtains were drawn and there was an eerie feeling about it. Maybe that was a running theme with all Slytheirn families' houses. Hermione was the last to step out of the fire into the room and she quickly followed the rest of the group out of the living room and into the kitchen which was filled by a little more light.

"I was actually making dinner when I heard…" Scarlett's mother explained, turning to them. I finished as quickly as I could and came to find Scarlett and Amber-Rose…and apparently the rest of you."

She hastily motioned for them all to sit down and began to dish out servings of roast chicken and potatoes. Nobody seemed to have realized how hungry the experience had made them and they all began to tuck in immediately, not speaking a single word.

It was Scarlett who first broke the silence, finishing her food and reaching into the middle of the long dining room table for seconds. "Where are we staying tonight?" she asked her mother. There was something else in her eyes too; another question but Hermione had no idea what it was.

"You can stay here of course" Mrs. Maddox replied, shaking her head. "That was my intention anyway. I'm not terribly thrilled with the idea of sending you back to Hogwarts after everything. And I don't know how Dolores Umbridge will react to you all being out of school in the first place. We have rooms, some people can share. Also, I wish to visit Lucius and Narcissa tomorrow. Your father will come…you all can stay here and keep each other company"

Scarlett lowered her head and began eating once again. Hermione looked around at the rest of the group. Harry, Ron and Neville seemed to have become rather uncomfortable although Ron was still attacking his food with much force. Luna was staring at her own plate as if looking for Crumpled Horned whatevers. Ginny was just eating casually as if she visited here all the time. In fact she was now deep in conversation with Amber-Rose about something Hermione couldn't quite catch.

The entire party jumped as a bang echoed through the house. "What was that?" Ron asked, reaching down beneath the table to retrieve the fork he had dropped there. Scarlett simply continued looking at her plate and left her mother to answer.

"Scarlett's fathers home" she said, standing up quickly and making her way towards the direction of the noise. Her sleeves were rolled up and Hermione caught a faint glimpse of the Dark Mark. She stiffened. Scarlett had seen her looking and just shook her head, not knowing what else to say.

Moments later a tall man with blonde curly hair much like Scarlett's strode into the room. He looked slightly irritable and was wearing a nametag that looked like one from the Ministry of Magic. It took him several seconds to take in the scene in the dining room and when he did his mouth became a straight line.

"Who are these?" he asked, his gaze fixed on Harry—obviously he had recognized him, how could you not? "And what are they doing in my house?"

"Robert…have you been in contact with anybody today? Have you heard the news?" Mrs. Maddox whispered, taking him by the arm and walking him out of the dining room again. He snatched his arm away and walked back in, glaring around at the children.

"No, I haven't…I'm a busy man Annabelle, you know this" he snapped. Then he reached out and took a plate of his own and began loading it with food from the table. The tables occupants sat completely still, aside from Luna who didn't seem to notice that anything was going on.

"Yes well…the Malfoy's son…Draco…the Dark Lord killed him." Annabelle explained in a quiet voice.

Robert was frozen for a second, it was clear that this hit a bit of a nerve. However, he recovered and looked over his shoulder at Harry again. "Well…what does that have to do with this lot?" he asked, his eyes falling on Hermione for a moment before he turned back to his wife.

"I'm not entirely sure" she admitted. "I just know that they were there in the house when I came to find Scarlett and Amber-Rose." This was the first time that Robert acknowledged his daughter. He simply nodded at her, eyed Amber-Rose with a small smile and then turned away. "I invited them here to stay for the night; I don't think it's a good idea for them to go back to the school"

"What?" Robert exclaimed, almost dropping his entire plateful of dinner. "Are you insane?" He continued shouting but Hermione tried to block out the words. She noticed that Scarlett was already out of her seat with Amber-Rose following her. Mrs. Maddox subtly pointed towards the staircase and the entire group began to scramble up it to escape the noise.

"I'm sorry about that" Scarlett apologized multiple times as she led them up the hall. "I think it's probably best that the boys sleep in here." She opened a door that led into a fully furnished room. The walls were bare but there were two beds and a cabinet. "It used to be my brothers room…" she admitted. "But it's the best we've got"

Ron, Harry and Neville all agreed quickly, not wanting to stay on the subject of Scarlett's brother too long. It was suggested that Ron, Ginny and whoever else wanted to could go back to the Burrow as it wasn't too far away but it was eventually decided that nobody really wanted to sneak back past Scarlett's parents.

The girls left the boys to their business and travelled own the gloomy corridor some more. Scarlett sent Luna, Ginny and Cordelia into another room which she called the guest room and then led Hermione and Amber-Rose to her own bedroom.

"I'm really sorry" she said again, closing the door and crawling onto her bed. "They're often like that…and I don't think it would have gone over well that my mother decided to take in Harry Potter for the night. Mother can be nice sometimes but…" she trailed off, tracing patterns on her bedspread with her finger tips.

Amber-Rose and Hermione just rolled their eyes. This was hard. It was hard to be in this room knowing that the two girls there with her had tried to kill her. Hermione knew they had their reasons but it was still scary. Why were they not mad at her? And if they were, why were they not showing it?

"Draco was our best friend" Scarlett said, as if she could read Hermione's mind. "We didn't want him to die…and well, you were our friend but it wasn't the same. If killing you was the way to keep him alive then that was just how it was going to be. I'm sorry. But…he loved you. And I'm sure he wouldn't want us being complete bitches towards you now." She took a sidelong glance at Amber-Rose who was staring out of the window. "Right, Rose?"

"I hate that he's gone" Amber-Rose muttered, her nails digging into her elbow. "I hate that if we had just done something sooner…he would still be alive"

"Don't talk like that" Scarlett muttered, rolling over and burying her head in the pillow. "It's better for him now. Don't you ever wonder how much better it is after you're dead? He's probably got it all good. He's away from Pansy and his parents and doesn't have to kill the one he loves anymore"

"Are we so sure he loved her though? No offense Hermione" Amber-Rose turned towards the two girls, her hair hitting her in the face. "They'd been together for barely any time at all"

"Let's just believe he was, it makes things less complicated" Scarlett said, her voice muffled.

"At the very least, I loved him" Hermione said, her voice surprising the other two girls. She was still standing by the door, unsure how welcome she was. "I've been through a hell of a lot in these past few days and you two just…" she almost stomped her foot in annoyance.

"So have we" Amber-Rose argued.

"I didn't say you hadn't" Hermione fired back.

"Guys, for fucks sake…!" Scarlett yelled, a few tears beginning to fall down her face. "Get over yourselves. I said it before; Draco wouldn't want it to be like this. Let's just deal with this together and see where that takes us…okay?"

Then she stood up and walked towards Hermione, wrapped her arms around her and gave her a big hug. Hermione just stood there stunned. Then she heard Scarlett's crying begin and finally had the courage to break down too. It was just two girls who had loved Draco too here with her now. It was okay.

One look in Amber-Rose's direction told her that Amber-Rose was crying too. Maybe not as hard but it was astonishing to see the most guarded person she knew crying at all. It almost made Hermione feel closer to her.

"I'm sorry" Scarlett muttered, pulling away from Hermione and sitting back on her bed. Hermione just smiled and Amber-Rose shrugged before Scarlett threw a pillow at her.

"I'm sorry too" Amber-Rose said at last, sounding about as sincere as you could get.

The next morning Mrs. Maddox visited each of the rooms in turn to tell them that she and Mr. Maddox were leaving for the Malfoy's. Amber-Rose, Scarlett begged to go with them but Mrs. Maddox just shook her head and closed the door in their faces.

So the group was left to make their own breakfast. When they got downstairs Amber-Rose, Scarlett and Hermione found the others all up and dressed and led by Cordelia they were treating the kitchen as if it was their own home. Cereal and toast was coming out of the backs of cupboards and Luna was absentmindedly dipping her fingers in the sugar bowl.

A loud and interesting breakfast began. It almost didn't feel as if this was a group of Slytherins and Gryffindors with one Ravenclaw in the mix. It actually felt like a group of friends. It was as if the death of one brought the others closer together and although there was a hole in many hearts right now it was almost filled in these moments.

A loud knock on the door interrupted the noise and Scarlett bounded towards the door to answer it. Moments later she appeared again leading Professor Singlia who looked as confident as ever as if she had no idea she was walking into a dark wizard's house.

"You're all going back to Hogwarts" she announced without any form of greeting. "There appears to be something wrong with Professor Umbridge and she has been taken into St. Mungo's. The estimations came back this morning. They're fairly sure she was and still is under the Imperius Curse but they can't quite figure out who performed it. So no High Inquisitor at the moment. I spoke with your mother previously Scarlett and she has said that I can take you back to school"

The group weren't given much choice and soon they were being pushed out the door by Singlia who kept on wondering aloud how such a strange assortment of students found their way to the scene of Draco Malfoy's murder. Hermione kept expecting her to try and speak to her alone but it never happened.

That night Hermione lay in her dormitory. Scarlett and Amber-Rose appeared to be asleep but Hermione couldn't. She kept closing her eyes and seeing Draco's face with his wand pointing towards her telling her he had to kill her.

"I miss you" she whispered into the darkness, and almost swore she heard a small voice whisper back…if only she could hear its words.


	18. We Never Had a Chance

**A/N – It's a short chapter, I'm sorry about that but I thought all of this needed to be said. We are doing a bit of exploration about how Hermione is dealing with Draco's death and so I thought I would include this chapter. Please continue reviewing because I love it.**

"Hey, 'Mione" Ron came running towards her the next evening as she made her way towards the library. He grabbed her by the wrist and had an intense look in his eye. Hermione gave him a confused look and he simply dragged her into an empty classroom.

"We haven't talked" he explained, taking a seat and expecting her to do the same. She did but only out of curiosity. Ron had never wanted to talk before, not in a serious way. What could he want to talk about?

"I made so many mistakes" he began, as if her curious look had been a signal to begin. "I knew how I felt about you but…I ignored it. Last year, at the ball I wanted to go with you but I felt stupid and I didn't want to ask. And I guess I sometimes thought you had a thing for Harry but you were always so supportive about the Cho thing and that didn't make sense but then…then you changed houses" he looked down at his hands. "I thought you were going to turn into them. I guess I kind of blamed you for the change. It was stupid, I know but…you were gone and we hardly spoke and then you started making friends. I knew them, or I knew Scarlett but I started to hate them because they were Slytherins and I thought they meant more to you than me and Harry. And then…Malfoy." He stopped there, not quite knowing what to say.

Hermione had listened quietly through all this simply because she wanted to see where he'd end up. When he faltered she took her chance to speak.

"They never meant more to me! How could they? You and Harry were my first true friends and I was so hurt by everything you said. And then when you just believed the rumours about me and Draco without even listening to my side of the story. I got so angry. You have no idea, Ron!"

"I know, I know" he said quickly, standing up. "I was being stupid, I said that already. And I could see you liked Malfoy, that you cared about him and I did help when you needed me. I stopped Malfoy from killing you!" Hermione raised her eyebrows and Ron quickly explained about his interruption of Malfoy's killing curse. "I couldn't let you die that way" he said, shrugging. "Or at all"

Hermione just folded her arms, unsure of how to react to all of this. What exactly was he saying?

"I don't normally say this stuff, I don't get all serious, you know?" Hermione nodded. She knew. "But I have to say this because otherwise you won't really know." He took a deep breath, held it for a moment and then let it out. "I love you Hermione" he said.

Then he did the unexpected. He leaned forwards and kissed her. Boys were always doing this these days it seemed. But…she remembered her first kiss with Draco.

"_Well, that's fine!" she snapped, causing him to pause in his tracks. "I'd rather have Ron than you any day!" _

_Her words hung in the air and Malfoy turned his head, staring at her. It seemed like Singlia was holding her breath. Then within seconds Malfoy had turned back around and was moving towards her, looking irritated. _

_Then a surprising thing happened. Hermione found her vision blocked by Malfoy and suddenly his lips were on hers and everything stopped, changing in a moment. It took her several seconds to come back from the shock and attempt to shake him off. _

_Before she had a chance to speak he turned and headed towards the door again. When he reached it he turned one last time, looking pleased with himself._

"_Say that now" he said, before sweeping out the door._

She remembered how her blood had boiled at his touch and how she had responded even for only a second. She had felt the passion; she knew he had felt it. The feel of his hands on her waist and the knowledge that this was so completely wrong had kept her going. Now she regretted pulling away and leaving her instincts fighting to pull him back and continue kissing him. As much as she had hated to admit it to herself, she had felt the chemistry in that moment.

And it didn't compare with this one…

Ron's lips found hers and his hands were placed on her waist but the passion wasn't there. Maybe from his end but not from hers. It seemed she had thrived off the forbidden love she had with Draco, the passion and imperfection. With Ron it was just too easy and comparing it to what she had just lost…

Hermione pulled away and Ron was left staring at her. "I can't" she told him, apologetic but honest. "Not now, not after he's just gone…maybe not ever. I'm sorry Ron." It was all she could bring herself to say and she ran from the room as fast as she could, leaving Ron to stare at her retreating figure.

_Dear Draco,_

_It's Hermione…I figured there are some things I should say to you now—things I was too scared to say to you before. _

_I love you. I guess I didn't tell you this because I was waiting for you to say it, hoping you would say it. I loved you, and I still do. I wanted to save you, in fact I tried but you never saw me. I didn't get there in time. _

_I wish I was angry at you, I wish I could hate you for trying to kill me but I can't. I know why you did it. You didn't think I would die for you. I remember that conversation by the lake. You said that you don't believe in dying for people who would never die for you. I've forgiven you Draco and I'm sorry that you did have to die for me._

_And now I'm going to end this letter…I thought it would help but to be honest it's just making me feel worse to know that you will never read it. I'll end this letter the way I started it._

_I love you._

_Xoxo Hermione _

**A/N – HAHA, I'm still here. Sorry, I don't normally do author's notes at the end of a chapter but I'd like to ask you all to do something. I have written other fanfiction's or I am writing other fanfiction's since this is the first one I have finished. There is a Fanfiction on my page called 'Scarlett Lies'. This story is centred on Scarlett and the Slytherins. Since you have all been introduced to Scar and Amber-Rose in this story I would really love it if you read 'Scarlett Lies'. The story is about Scarlett and her journey through love and such, there are some great characters that I wish I could take credit for and I'm really enjoying writing it. So I would love you to read it and give me your feedback on that. So, again I love you all and thank you for reading. **


	19. Choices

**A/N – I don't really know what to say. I really hope you all enjoy this chapter. I do know that the chapters are getting shorter but It's simply because we're coming up to the end of the fic and I'm just dealing with minor things that need to be discussed and said. So here we are, enjoy and review!**

Days passed in somewhat of a blur. Hermione attempted to throw herself into preparation for her O. in order to forget what had happened. However, she still felt detached. The only people who could bring her back were Amber-Rose and Scarlett. Why? Because Hermione knew they were feeling the exact same way if not worse.

"Hermione, can I have a word please?"

Hermione turned to see Professor Singlia standing behind her and looking expectant. The teacher and student hadn't spoken much lately. Singlia had fulfilled her duty and now wasn't required to keep a constant watch on Hermione and after all that had gone down Hermione didn't much feel like speaking to Singlia.

"Please?" Singlia repeated as Hermione simply stood there staring at her. Finally Hermione nodded and Singlia immediately took off. She led her down corridors up staircases and down staircases until they reached Dumbledore's office.

Singlia muttered a password, sneaking a look at Hermione to check she hadn't heard it. Then the two of them entered.

Dumbledore was sitting in his chair surrounded by portraits and other strange objects that gave the office a very mysterious feel. When they entered he gave Hermione a smile and motioned towards the chair beside the one Singlia had immediately occupied.

She took a seat although she felt extremely uncomfortable. It had been because of Dumbledore's plan that Draco had died. She wasn't mad at him but there just seemed to be feelings that were at work right now.

"Now, I assume you have been waiting for me to want to talk to you" Dumbledore began, looking Hermione directly in the eye with a knowing look in his eye.

"Yes" Hermione replied. There was no use in lying. She had been waiting for this conversation since she was first moved into Slytherin. She could still remember the feelings of confusion and anger towards Dumbledore for forcing Singlia on her instead of conversing with her himself.

"Well, here we are. I apologize that it has taken quite this long" Dumbledore smiled, then his face took on a more serious look. "I also must apologize for how everything ended up. You must know that I had no intention for either you or Draco to loose your lives. I am quite shaken if I'm honest"

Hermione looked down at her hands and nodded. She didn't quite know what to say to this. It was apparent that Dumbledore truly was sorry and regretted everything that had happened. It almost seemed as if he was blaming himself and although he was partly to blame Hermione didn't want him blaming himself.

"We have finally come to the conclusion…" Dumbledore continued. "That Dolores Umbridge left Hogwarts the night she discovered what I was planning. She wished to relay the message to Fudge immediately. However she was stopped by a Death Eater or two and placed under the Imperius Curse." Hermione looked up at him in surprise. "In the end she let slip that I had come up with a plan to stop Voldermort and it involved Draco Malfoy. That, for obvious reasons, did not go over very well with the Death Eaters and they left to tell their master"

"But why was she put under the Imperius Curse?" Hermione exclaimed, the surprise still evident on her face. "What did the Death Eaters want from her?"

"That remains to be seen" Dumbledore replied smoothly. "It is speculated that Voldermort wished to enter the Ministry for one reason or another through his Death Eaters. I cannot give away too much more"

Hermione nodded, lapsing into silence again. Dumbledore remained watching her, surveying reactions.

"Do you, Ms. Granger, in any way blame me for Draco Malfoy's death?" Dumbledore asked finally, looking at her over his half moon spectacles. Hermione looked up in surprise.

"No, I don't" she told him honestly. "I don't blame anyone…"

"Ah," Dumbledore smiled. "I am pleased to hear this. It is now then that I give you a choice"

"A choice?" Hermione asked, completely surprised by where this conversation had headed. Singlia, who had been sitting quietly this entire time, sat up in her seat. Hermione could almost see her ears perking up.

"Yes, Miss Granger" Dumbledore's smile reached his twinkling eyes. "Seeing as the plan did not turn out how I had hoped I am giving you a very important choice. You were moved into Slytherin house solely because I came to the conclusion that it was the best way for you and Mr. Malfoy to make a connection. It was not because you embodied Slytherin qualities. However, I can see you have become somewhat at home there which I was why the decision is yours. You will be the one to decide whether you continue your Hogwarts career in Gryffindor or Slytherin." He placed one hand over the other on the table in front of him and looked at Hermione quizzically.

This hadn't been what Hermione had expected at all and her surprise appeared evident on her face. "I…" she began, and then she faltered.

Memories began flooding back, memories of Slytherin house. As much as she loved Harry and Ron she had also found a home that she hadn't expected in Slytherin. She had found Scarlett and Amber-Rose and even managed to get along with Arthur Diggory and others.

"_I don't…really know" she said, bitterly. "It was Dumbledore's idea, or so says Professor Singlia but –" _

"_She's weird, isn't she?" Scarlett exclaimed, grasping onto the subject. "So…intense, if you know what I mean?" _

"_She actually tried to sit me down for a 'cup of tea' this morning" Amber-Rose told them, scrunching up her nose in disgust. "But I told her I didn't like tea and escaped, it's like she's trying to make friends with us or force us to like her" _

She could just feel at home there and be herself. And now that Harry and Ron were coming to understand all of those things might be better. As much as her former instincts would be telling her to change back to Gryffindor, her current instincts were pushing her towards Slytherin.

Not to mention, maybe staying in Slytherin would keep Draco's memory alive instead of pretending it hadn't happened.

"I choose Slytherin" she said, her words coming out slowly as she thought it over. Dumbledore and Singlia exchanged a look of surprise.

"Why?" Singlia asked, turning to Hermione with a smile on her face.

"I don't know" Hermione admitted. "I just…feel like I should be there." Dumbledore nodded.

"Well, I said it was up to you. I am sure your friends in Gryffindor house will not be too happy about this decision. But no matter, it is lovely that you have found such a home in the opposite house to your own"

Hermione nodded, smiling a little. "You're right" she agreed. She had done the one thing that was a very uncommon occurrence. She had blurred the lines between Gryffindor and Slytherin and it felt good to be a part of both worlds.

"And Albus, I have here my resignation" Singlia said, drawing the attention away from Hermione as she handed Dumbledore an official looking piece of parchment. Dumbledore sighed and took it from her, not looking pleased. "You knew I was going to resign after all of this!" Singlia said, rolling her eyes.

"Yes, yes" Dumbledore said simply, placing the parchment under some of the other items on his desk and not looking at her.

"So, you can't be disappointed" Singlia continued, irritably.

"You had such potential" Dumbledore told her, and Hermione suddenly felt as if she didn't quite belong in the room anymore. However she decided to wait for a dismissal. "You make that class enjoyable for the children. Can't you see that?"

"I'm sorry Dumbledore, I just don't feel Hogwarts is my place" Singlia stood up and shook her long red hair out. "I'll visit, of course" she added as she turned towards the door. "I leave tomorrow"

Then she was gone.

"You may go too, Miss Granger" Dumbledore told her, looking up from his papers. She stood up and began walking towards his door smiling to herself.

"And Miss Granger…" she turned. "Well done"

"With what?"

But Dumbledore didn't answer. He just continued shuffling his papers with a smile. Hermione couldn't help but smile also as she turned and continued making her way out of the door.


	20. Epilogue

**A/N – Here we are, at the very end of the Fanfiction. This has been such an amazing experience since I have never written a full Fanfiction before. It feels surreal to know I've actually finished. I love that you all have been there with me and responded so well. If you don't like the ending, feel free to state it but I do hope you enjoyed the story as a whole. I love you guys, thank you so much. Seriously. **

"I love you" the words echoed in Hermione's mind as she lay in her Slytherin dormitory that night. She couldn't quite figure out whether she was dreaming or not. That is until Draco came out of the darkness and she ran to him.

"What are you doing here?" she exclaimed but he didn't answer. Instead he took her in his arms and kissed her. Hermione didn't want to kiss him back. She knew that if she let him in now it was going to hurt even more when she woke up and he was gone again but she couldn't' help it. Her instincts gave in and it felt so good to have him here again, even if it wasn't really him.

"I'm sorry about everything" he told her, his eyes intense as he pulled away. He still held her in his arms. "I'm sorry that I had to kill you…I'm sorry that I even tried"

"It's fine!" Hermione insisted. "I…I…miss you too much to care anymore"

He smiled a half smile down at her and she broke out into a smile herself. "I'm glad. I just wish I'd gotten a chance to say goodbye. That's why I'm here"

Hermione blinked. "You're here?" she asked, feeling confused. What was he saying? Was it really him in her dream? This did feel awfully real.

"I got to say goodbye to you, this was the only way. I miss you…but I'm always here—watching you"

"Have you said goodbye to Amber-Rose and Scarlett too?" Hermione said, finding her eyes filling with tears. This was really Draco and he wanted to visit her one more time. It brought back all the memories—some good and some bad.

He didn't speak, simply smiled and kissed her once again. "I saw Weasley kiss you" he murmured after a few moments of silence.

"That was-" Hermione began but he cut her off.

"I don't mind" he took a deep breath, as if this was very hard for him. "If you want to be with Weasley I won't mind. If that will make you happy…I don't want you to be alone."

Hermione thought about this for a moment. Draco wouldn't mind if she was with Ron. But it didn't change anything. It didn't change the comparison. There was no passion with Ron; it wouldn't change with Draco's blessing.

"I still love you" she told him, reaching up and wiping a stray tear from her cheek. He chuckled, kissing her once more.

"I love you too, I always will. I just never got a chance to tell you" he whispered as if it was a secret that she had to keep to herself.

Suddenly, completely out of the blue, the scene began to fade. Draco was suddenly getting further and further away. The edges of the picture became frayed and everything else began loosing it's colour.

"Where are you going?" she exclaimed, reaching out as he drifted backwards. Her voice was coloured with desperation.

"Look, I just have to go. I'm sorry…it's not up to me" he called, his voice sounding distant and echo-y. "I love you, I'll miss you"

Hermione let her hand drop and she could feel the tears welling up and spilling over. She could barely see as the entire dream faded to black and Draco disappeared completely. She didn't open her eyes until she was shocked into consciousness. The dormitory was dark and Pansy's snores were breaking up the silence. The tears were still in her eyes.

Left alone in her sadness she simply let herself go, crying herself to sleep once again.

Time passed. O. passed. The summer passed. Hermione remained in Slytherin house with her new friends. Sometimes even Harry and Ron would join them when they were hanging out, though the boys much preferred to get Hermione on her own.

"I don't know what the hell he's doing here!" Scarlett exclaimed as they walked up to their dormitory on their first day of sixth year. "I never thought…he never said…"

"Maybe after you two broke up he didn't think it was appropriate to say 'oh, by the way I'm coming to your school next year'" Amber-Rose suggested, rolling her eyes. "Are you seriously going to spend this entire year whining about Alex Rammings?"

"You have a real problem with true love, don't you?" Hermione teased. Amber-Rose shot her a glare.

"No, I don't…I just don't like the whole whiny, I can't live without him kind of thing" she replied, folding her arms and muttering the password leading them into the Common Room.

"Well, on that note…I'm exhausted" Scarlett announced, immediately heading up the stairs towards the Girls Dormitories with Amber-Rose following behind her. Hermione stayed where she was, standing in the emptying Common Room.

"I think I'm going to stay here…just for awhile" she said and the girls nodded, leaving her in peace. It seemed everybody was tired, pretty soon the entire Common Room was empty except for Hermione. She took a seat by the fire and stared into it, thinking about the previous year and the life that had followed. Everything was different but she was completely fine with it now.

"Well, if it isn't Miss. Gryffindor"

Hermione looked up to see Arthur Diggory, Cedric Diggorys twin brother that people rarely remembered, standing over her with a smirk on his face. Without waiting for an invitation he took a seat, not staring at the fire but staring at her. She smiled slightly.

"Hey" she replied.

**THE END!**


End file.
